Should the Twins Consider a Reunion With Sonny Gray?

When looking at the Minnesota Twins' biggest offseason needs, starting pitching might not immediately come to mind. The organization has several established starters and intriguing young arms who could fill out next year's rotation. However, anyone who watched the Twins struggle through another season of pitching injuries knows that having enough starting pitching is never a guarantee.

Pablo López, Joe Ryan, Taj Bradley, Dean Kremer, Connor Prielipp, Mick Abel, and Bailey Ober give Minnesota plenty of options heading into 2027. Unfortunately, injuries to López, Abel, and Ryan disrupted the team's plans this season. Even with a relatively healthy group, the Twins could benefit from adding another dependable starter.

One familiar name deserves consideration. Sonny Gray is back on the free-agent market after declining his side of a $30-million mutual option with the Boston Red Sox. The 36-year-old right-hander is coming off an outstanding season and has already demonstrated that he can succeed in Minnesota. Should the Twins consider bringing him back? There are compelling reasons to pursue a reunion, but there are also some legitimate concerns.

The Case for Bringing Gray Back

Gray's 2026 performance suggests he still has plenty left in the tank. He finished the season with an 18-5 record, a 2.72 ERA, and 149 strikeouts in 169 innings. Those numbers are particularly impressive considering Gray has spent more than a decade facing major-league hitters. He has consistently found ways to succeed without overpowering opponents, relying on an extensive pitch mix, movement, and the ability to keep hitters off balance. More sinkers and cutters (and fewer four-seamers) helped Gray take some juice out of opponents' bats in 2026; their expected power numbers against him plunged.

Twins fans are already familiar with what Gray brings to a rotation. Minnesota acquired him from Cincinnati before the 2022 season, and he immediately became an important part of the starting staff. Hamstring injuries limited him to 119 2/3 innings during his first season, but he still recorded a 3.08 ERA in 24 starts. His second season in Minnesota was even better. Gray posted a 2.79 ERA with 183 strikeouts in 184 innings over 32 starts. He finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting and led baseball in FIP (2.83) and home runs allowed per nine innings (0.4).

Gray also helped the Twins accomplish something the franchise hadn't done in 21 years. During the 2023 American League Wild Card Series against Toronto, he delivered five scoreless innings in Game 2. Minnesota won 2-0, secured its first postseason series victory since 2002, and advanced to face Houston.

Gray would also bring valuable experience to a relatively young group of pitchers. Bradley, Prielipp, and Abel are still developing, and having an accomplished veteran around could provide another resource for the organization's pitching development efforts. Gray's ability to succeed with multiple pitches and different approaches could make him a valuable presence beyond his individual contributions. If the Twins are serious about increasing payroll and building a more competitive roster, revisiting that relationship would send a positive message.

The Age and Financial Concerns

Of course, there are reasons to hesitate before offering Gray a multi-year contract. The biggest concern is his age. Gray will be 37 when the 2027 season begins, meaning any three-year agreement would cover his age-37, age-38, and age-39 seasons. The probability of declining performance increases as pitchers approach 40.

There's also a considerable workload to consider. Gray has accumulated more than 2,000 major-league innings. Although he handled 169 innings in 2026 without noticeably tiring, teams must consider how much longer a pitcher can maintain that level of production.

His strikeout rate also declined from 26.7% to 21.8%. That's a major red flag, for three reasons:

1. Strikeouts are the best outcome of plate appearances, from the pitcher's perspective. Going from solidly above average at striking batters out to a hair below average is a major change in skill profile.
2. At Gray's age, such a change is especially likely to be a signal that further, more widespread degradation is on the horizon, or underway already. 
3. Gray has always depended more heavily than most on called strikes. Specifically, for his career, 27.5% of his strikeouts have been looking, compared to a league average just over 23%. In other words, he needs a big strike zone, and the zone shrank on him in 2026, thanks to the implementation of ABS. Batters only challenged 16 times against him and got eight overturned, but three of those eight erased Gray strikeouts. More importantly, the zone is smaller in the first place, after umpires received new feedback beginning in 2025 that produced a tighter zone.

The financial commitment presents an even bigger obstacle for Minnesota than iffy performance indicators, with Diamond Centric ranking Gray as the 11th-best free agent and the fourth-best starter on the market. Spotrac projects Gray's next contract at approximately $58 million over three years. However, MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo reported that some industry expectations place his next deal closer to $75 million over three years. Even if Gray has to settle for a two-year deal, it's unlikely to come at less than $20 million per year.

The Twins need to improve their bullpen, add a high-quality position player, and address questions surrounding their roster's overall depth. Committing that much money to Gray could limit their ability to address those other areas.

There's also the question of whether Minnesota should prioritize developing its younger starters. Bradley, Prielipp, Abel, and other pitching prospects need opportunities to establish themselves. Adding another veteran could create a crowded rotation if everyone stays healthy. That's a problem most teams would gladly accept. Injuries and underperformance have a way of changing rotation plans quickly, and Minnesota experienced that firsthand in 2026. Still, it's a factor.

Should Minnesota Make the Call?

The Twins should absolutely explore a reunion with Gray, but the odds that the two sides actually find common ground seem long. If Gray receives offers approaching $75 million, the Twins should walk away. Minnesota cannot afford to make an expensive sentimental decision simply because Gray previously pitched well in Minneapolis. The organization also needs to demonstrate that any payroll increase will be used strategically. Adding Gray would be a meaningful investment, but it cannot come at the expense of addressing the bullpen and other weaknesses.

Gray has already shown that he can succeed in Minnesota, and his 2026 season suggests he remains one of baseball's better starting pitchers. The Twins know what they would be getting, and he could transform their rotation into a strength. There is something appealing about bringing back a pitcher who helped end the franchise's postseason drought. However, nostalgia should not determine the organization's offseason spending. Gray would have to be available on a two-year deal (or for less than expected on a three-year term) for a reunion to make sense.

Should the Twins approach Gray about a reunion? Leave a comment and start the discussion.

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