Sonny Gray DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Derrick Goold reports that St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (illness) has been dealing with a flu-like illness that has sapped him of his strength and left him not feeling great. However, Gray said he felt better on Monday. A report surfaced recently that the 35-year-old veteran's velocity has been down this spring, which could be explained by his illness. Either way, it's something to watch with Gray after he got a late start on his offseason throwing program. Gray is scheduled to start on Opening Day this Thursday against the visiting Minnesota Twins, but even if he's cleared to toe the rubber to open the year, fantasy managers may want to consider benching him if he's not quite at full strength. In 14 1/3 innings over four Grapefruit League starts, Gray allowed a whopping 20 earned runs on 23 hits (eight homers) while walking six and fanning 17.

St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray (forearm) admitted that he received a pain-killing injection in the flexor tendon of his right forearm late last season -- he ended the year on the injured list -- and the injury delayed his offseason program. Gray said the injury hasn't been an issue during spring training, but the delay in his throwing program could explain his diminished velocity in Grapefruit League games. The 35-year-old veteran has really struggled in spring games, allowing 18 earned runs on 21 hits (seven homers) while walking six and striking out 14 in 11 1/3 innings over four starts. Gray's velocity was down nearly two mph in his Grapefruit League start against the Houston Astros, which should be a cause for concern for the Cards and fantasy managers alike. If his velocity doesn't rebound, it's unlikely he'll have a strikeout rate north of 30% like he had in 2024. It's something to keep a close eye on.

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray will get the nod on Opening Day against the Minnesota Twins. Gray enjoyed a strong debut season in St. Louis last summer and will operate as the top man in the rotation in 2025. Last season, Gray logged 166 1/3 innings to the tune of a 3.84 ERA with a 1.09 WHIP. He tallied an impressive 203 strikeouts and served up just 39 walks. His strikeouts were the fourth-most in the National League. He generated a solid 3.67 xERA with a .237 xBA which placed him in the 63rd and 53rd percentiles respectively. In addition, the 35-year-old generated whiffs at an elite 29.8 percent rate. Gray's sweeper (second-most used pitch) is his primary put-away pitch as it generated an elite 44.8 percent whiff rate. Facing the Twins, Gray will be viewed as a solid option in DFS given his strikeout upside.