Cardinals' Sonny Gray: Expected to have normal offseason
Rotowire
Gray is on track have a normal offseason after finishing the regular season on the 15-day injured list with right forearm flexor tendinitis, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Gray missed his final start of the season because of the forearm issue, but his offseason training is expected to be unaffected. The right-hander held a 3.84 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 203:39 K:BB across 28 regular-season starts during his first year in St. Louis.
The Cardinals placed Gray on the 15-day injured list Saturday with right forearm flexor tendinitis.
Gray previously said that he pitched through soreness during his most recent start Wednesday, and he'll now be sidelined for the rest of the season due to his forearm issue. He will finish his first season in St. Louis with a 3.84 ERA and 1.09 WHIP alongside a 203:39 K:BB across 28 starts. Kyle Leahy was recalled from Triple-A Memphis to replenish St. Louis' pitching depth.
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Cardinals' Sonny Gray: Final start iffy due to soreness
Rotowire
Gray said he pitched through some "lingering" soreness during Wednesday's start against the Pirates, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Gray didn't divulge any specifics regarding where he's feeling sore, only saying that he "didn't feel great in general, physically" due to "some lingering things just kind of going on through the week." The righty struck out eight and was charged with four runs over 5.2 innings versus the Pirates in Wednesday's outing. Gray will throw a bullpen session this weekend before it's determined whether he'll make one more start or shut things down. If he does make one final start, it's tentatively lined up to come at Coors Field.
Gray did not factor into the decision in a win over the Pirates on Wednesday, allowing four runs on nine hits and no walks over 5.2 innings while striking out eight.
Gray kept the Pirates at bay over the first three innings before surrendering back-to-back doubles to lead off the fourth, which would lead to two runs coming across for Pittsburgh. The veteran right-hander was later relieved by Matthew Liberatore in the sixth after the former allowed two-consecutive singles with two outs. Unfortunately for Gray, he would then see his chances for a win get washed away as Liberatore coughed up a three-run shot to the first batter he faced. Gray failed to make it through six frames Wednesday for the first time in his last five starts, though he did generate 16 whiffs en route to posting seven or more strikeouts for the third straight outing. He now carries a 2.89 ERA through three starts in September to go along with a dominant 24:3 K:BB.
Gray (13-9) earned the win Thursday over the Reds, allowing one run on two hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out nine.
It was another excellent outing from Gray -- the right-hander's now held opponents to one run in each of his last three starts (19 innings) while posting a 20:3 K:BB in that span. The veteran right-hander's lowered his ERA to 3.75 on the year with a 1.07 WHIP and 195 strikeouts (10 shy of a career high) across 160.2 innings. Gray will look to keep rolling his next time out, currently scheduled as a home matchup with the Pirates next week.
Gray allowed one run on four hits and one walk while striking out seven batters over seven innings in a no-decision against Milwaukee on Wednesday.
Gray didn't allow a run until the seventh inning, and he departed the contest holding a 2-1 lead. However, St. Louis' bullpen coughed up the tying run in the eighth, preventing Gray from notching a second straight victory. Despite that disappointment, it was a strong outing by the veteran right-hander, as he completed seven frames for the first time since Aug. 6. Gray has surrendered just two runs over his past 13 innings spanning two starts to bring his season ERA down to 3.84.
