Sonny and Nado

[Michael Scarn]

It is seeming to be more likely they both will help facilitate a trade out of St. Louis. Looking at Sonny's comments after last night's game, he maybe ready to jump ship. This is according to an article by John Denton at Cardinals.com.

[Midrange Jay]

Then we could have a $50 million payroll! Who’s ready for season tickets?!?!

[Ron Gant's Bicep]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

[reson8]

If the genius POBO hadn't backloaded Gray's deal so that he's owed $35m next year trading him would easier and less expensive.

[PadsFS07]

Hooray! I’m so excited to save our billionaire owner some money!

[PadsFS07]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

They both have negative trade value. We aren’t going to get anything valuable in a trade for either and they aren’t going to spend the money ‘saved’ on new players. Our holes for next year, if you trade these two, are literally going to be 3B and SP.

[Bomber1]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

JMO but Gray is owed $ 35 million for next year, with a $ 30 million team option for 2027 and a $ 5 million buyout.
He hasn’t pitched particularly well this year.

I think you’d have to eat some of that contract just to move him.

[ecleme22]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

They both have negative trade value. We aren’t going to get anything valuable in a trade for either and they aren’t going to spend the money ‘saved’ on new players. Our holes for next year, if you trade these two, are literally going to be 3B and SP.

Hole at 3b? Not so much.

But there will be holes in SP. The Cards will also have maybe 20-30mil to spend if they trade NA and SG. That will probably be spent on multiple starters.

[Midrange Jay]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

They both have negative trade value. We aren’t going to get anything valuable in a trade for either and they aren’t going to spend the money ‘saved’ on new players. Our holes for next year, if you trade these two, are literally going to be 3B and SP.

Hole at 3b? Not so much.

But there will be holes in SP. The Cards will also have maybe 20-30mil to spend if they trade NA and SG. That will probably be spent on multiple starters.

We have $75 million in salary commitments next year. They can keep Gray and sign 2 pitchers. Gray will have more trade value at the deadline next year than this offseason.

[TXCardsFanX]

There is a time for punting. 2025 was a punt and 2026 will also be a punt.
The Cardinals are for sure going to have to eat some of Gray and Nado's payrolls, but they can focus on bringing in more guys who they feel are part of the future.

[PadsFS07]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

They both have negative trade value. We aren’t going to get anything valuable in a trade for either and they aren’t going to spend the money ‘saved’ on new players. Our holes for next year, if you trade these two, are literally going to be 3B and SP.

Hole at 3b? Not so much.

But there will be holes in SP. The Cards will also have maybe 20-30mil to spend if they trade NA and SG. That will probably be spent on multiple starters.

Wetherholt shouldn’t play there. Donovan isn’t a great option either. He’s a negative fielding 2Bman so I can’t see that translating well at 3B either with a higher sample.

I’d really like to see Donovan traded as he’s probably at his peak in value and doesn’t have a true home defensively.

Then there’s Gorman or Saggese. Yeah I’d call that a hole.

[rockondlouie]

Sonny should still have some solid trade value. Nado…not so much.

+1

Even w/a $35M 2026 salary it's only for that one season and Gray can easily put a team over the top since he can still deliver multi "ACE" level games and just topped 200 KO's for the second straight season.

The return would be okay, perhaps a decent mid level prospect?

NADO will cost BDWJr at least 50% of his remaining contract ($42M) but some team will take a shot at $21M/2 yrs.
knowing they'll get elite defense and a possibly a rebound to being a league average hitter (100 wRC+).

Lotto ticket prospect return unless Bloom can work some magic.

[ForumPolice]

Then we could have a $50 million payroll! Who’s ready for season tickets?!?!

I'm in the business of hating on the Cardinals and ownership myself but I can hardly blame them for wanting to go into the upcoming lockout with his little payroll as possible until they know the new parameters.

I put the chances of a lockout at 99.9%

[scoutyjones2]

Neither have value in a trade.

Gray with a 5+ ERA and owed $35

Nado is a shell of himself and suspect arm/shoulder

Eating money for some garbage in a trade vs running out the contract...I run out the contract

[Midrange Jay]

Then we could have a $50 million payroll! Who’s ready for season tickets?!?!

I'm in the business of hating on the Cardinals and ownership myself but I can hardly blame them for wanting to go into the upcoming lockout with his little payroll as possible until they know the new parameters.

I put the chances of a lockout at 99.9%

Well, they can sell that dream of potential lockout leverage to the 1 million fans coming to see them play next year.

[Carp4Cy]

Neither have value in a trade.

Gray with a 5+ ERA and owed $35

Nado is a shell of himself and suspect arm/shoulder

Eating money for some garbage in a trade vs running out the contract...I run out the contract

Gray doesn't have a 5 ERA.

Still I'd run out the contract because I like both the players. Gray is actually a winning pitcher here.

If he can win another 14 games for us in 2027, that incremental $25M option doesn't look bad at all on a $/win basis.