MLB Roundup 1/22: *Now* the Sonny Gray trade is finally done

The Sonny Gray trade is finally done, and it’s a three-teamer

It feels like I’ve been writing about this potential Sonny Gray-to-the-Reds trade for weeks, but on Monday things finally got wrapped up. A new wrinkle was added on the final day, as Jerry DiPoto heard there was a trade going down and couldn’t just stay out of it. So, it became a three-team deal with the Mariners being involved. In its final form, the Reds got Sonny Gray, who also signed a three-year contract extension worth $30.5 million with a $12 million club option for the 2023 season. The Mariners get Reds infield prospect Shed Long, who had been rumored to be going to New York. The Yankees then get Mariners outfield prospect Josh Stowers along with a competitive balance pick from the Reds that will be 36th overall in this summer’s draft. Got all that?

This is actually a really interesting trade, with all of the teams involved getting what they want. The Reds continue to make a push towards contention by buying low on a pitcher that has shown big talent in the past. The extension is a bit risky, but after this year a whole lot of their roster will be on league-minimum deals, so Cincinnati can take that risk. Seattle gets a 23-year-old prospect who is close to the majors, which fits with their hope for a quick rebuild. The Yankees get an interesting prospect along with a good draft pick and the signing pool space that comes with it, not to mention getting Gray off their roster. This really seems like one of those trades that’s a win for everyone.

Get the Reds perspective of the deal here, the Mariners here and the Yankees here.

Yankees sign Danny Farquhar to a minor-league deal

This trade wasn’t the only move the Yankees made on Monday, also signing Danny Farquhar to a minor-league deal. Normally, we wouldn’t talk about a reliever getting signed to a minor-league deal, but this one is very different. If you’ll recall, Farquhar was on the White Sox last year and suffered from a brain hemorrhage in the dugout in late April. It was a very, very scary moment and it seemed like his career was in question. Farquhar didn’t pitch after that in 2018, though he did progress steadily as the year went on. That he’s able to continue his career in 2019, in whatever capacity, is phenomenal news. Generally speaking, we aren’t rooting for Yankee players over here, but Farquhar is an exception to that rule.