FORT MYERS, Fla. – After Sonny Gray endured a beating against Rafael Devers (first-inning grand slam) and the Red Sox on a late June night at Yankee Stadium in 2018, it was David Price who confidently predicted it would just be a small bump in the road for his fellow Vanderbilt alum.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora recalled the dugout conversation with Price as if it happened eight days ago instead of almost eight years ago.
“David, he's like, ‘That guy is going to be good. That guy is really good. Right now, there's stuff going on that is not working for him, but he's going to continue to have a great career.’ I think it was more about the breaking ball and not being able to bounce it and the usage,” remembers Cora. “So I always paid attention to [Gray] since that day, and kudos to David, smart Vandy guy, so I know he knows baseball, and he was right, and I'm happy that he's with us.”
Gray got off the mat so impressively after his downturn with the Yankees in ‘17-18 that the Red Sox had no hesitation in bringing him back to a big market in a November trade with the Cardinals. To come to Boston, Gray waived his no-trade clause for the allure of playing for a postseason contender.
This is because, at age 36, Gray has never felt so sure of himself as a pitcher.
Aren’t things supposed to get harder for an aging pitcher?
In some cases, yes. But Gray – who is part of an impressive front four of the Boston rotation that also includes Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suárez and Brayan Bello – is at that sweet spot of his career where his body and mind are perfectly synced up.
“For sure, taking care of my body is huge. That's something that once I turned 30, it became a lot more of a focus,” Gray said. “And one thing I’ve learned is that if you take care of your body and still feel strong, which I really do, pitching just becomes a little easier once you get into your 30s. The game slows down a lot. You understand little things here and there. I feel like I understand a lot more things, and I've arguably gotten better as I've gotten older. So that's been nice.”
The proud owner of eight pitches, Gray is happy to help spread his knowledge to any impressionable pitcher who asks. He refers to himself as an open book.
Bello, in particular, is someone who might benefit from the wealth of knowledge Gray has gathered over the years.
“Yeah, because they're very similar in that they have so many pitches, so just the communication factor,” said Cora.
As Bello threw his live batting practice on Thursday, Gray was among those who sat behind the batting cage and took it in.
First impression?
“He’s gross,” Gray said of Bello’s stuff. “Sinker is disgusting.”
While Gray is still gathering knowledge on Bello, he got pretty familiar with Crochet as the duo spent considerable time training together at Vanderbilt during the offseason.
“I don't think there's a ceiling for him,” Gray said of the lefty known as “Beast” throughout the Boston clubhouse. “I think he can be the best pitcher in baseball, and I look forward to following him and working alongside him and learning from him and teaching him and competing with him. So I think he can be whatever he sets his mind to be.”
Gray has a chance to be for Boston’s pitching staff this season what Alex Bregman was for the position players last season.
“This guy is locked into his craft,” said Cora. “A lot of communication. It's been impressive so far, not only with us, but with his peers. There's a reason he's pitched so long in the big leagues and he's been successful. First of all, taking care of his body, and second, just the knowledge. So a good addition to a group that needed somebody like that. We’ve got Garrett and [Aroldis Chapman], but not too much experience in that clubhouse, and having him is going to be a plus for everybody here.”
While Gray often speaks in paragraphs, he was able to break down his mentality in a fashion that should work for everyone involved.
“I want to get my work in, I want to have a great time,” said Gray. “I want to have fun, I want to compete. I want to win.”