As the dust settles from the Sonny Gray trade, it seems like a good time to judge the reaction from the New England area. Not so much regarding what is heading their way, although there are some interesting takes that run the full gamut.
(Check out this mini-rant from Nick Stevens of sports radio WEEI’s afternoon show.)
But how does the Boston area feel about what the Red Sox gave up for one season of the 36-year-old right-hander?
To recap, the St. Louis Cardinals sent Gray and $20 million to Boston in exchange for right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts and left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke, and future considerations – either cash or a player to be named later.
Richard Fitts Brings 'A Great Personality in the Dugout'
Fitts is a bit more of a known commodity. A 2021 sixth-round pick of the New York Yankees who went to Boston in a December 2023 trade for Alex Verdugo, Fitts has pitched in 15 Major League games over the past two seasons, compiling a 3.97 ERA over 65.2 combined innings.
“Richard Fitts is a fine pitcher, he’s a Major League pitcher, but he’s not going to be a top-of-the-rotation guy,” said Rob Bradford of WEEI.
The 25-year-old was once ranked as high as No. 12 among Boston’s prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. He may bring a lot to the clubhouse in terms of positive personality, but his on-field contributions will likely top out at a No. 4-5 starter or middle reliever.
“Fitts sucks to lose more so in a way that he was an awesome human being,” said Corbin of the Red Seat Radio podcast. “Always gave me the time to interview him. Great guy, ton of fun, super funny, was a great personality in the dugout. But in the sense of actual player, I don't think the Red Sox are really going to be kicking themselves for trading this guy.”
Brandon Clarke Boasts 'Some of the Best Power Stuff in the Minors'
Clarke is the player of note in this trade for the Redbirds. He was ranked No. 5 by MLB Pipeline at the time of the trade and was No. 81 overall on Baseball America’s early-season top 100 list, although the publication did not include Clarke on its recent top 10 list for Boston prospects.
However, Baseball America’s assessment of the Sonny Gray trade, while acknowledging concerns about command and health, touted Clarke as having “some of the best power stuff in the minors:”
“He mixes both four-seam and two-seam fastballs, with the two-seamer the better of the two. He generates outlier velocity on both, sitting 96-98 mph and touching 100 at peak. Clarke’s best pitch is an upper-80s sweeper with one of the most outlier combinations of velocity and movement among the sweeper genre. The pitch blows up Stuff models and overwhelmed opposing hitters in 2025.”
A 6-foot-4, 220-pounder, Clarke was Boston’s fifth-round pick in 2024. He made his professional debut this season and “showed a ton of promise coming out of spring training,” according to Bradford.
“He has some upside,” Bradford stated.
Opinions on him soured a bit over the course of the season, as he had a few stints on the injured list, including about a month lost due to recurring blister issues. Early on, he was rated higher than other Red Sox pitching prospects such as Connelly Early and Payton Tolle but eventually was rumored to be part of an offer to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Merrill Kelly at the trading deadline.
Boston Analyst Laments 'Diabolical Value' of Players Sent to Cardinals
But Chris Cotillo, Red Sox beat writer for MassLive.com, acknowledged the short memories among Boston area pundits, citing a late July article that amplified Baseball America’s statement that Clarke “has had more helium than any prospect to start 2025.”
“Interesting to remember how fast the Brandon Clarke hype train was chugging along in late July,” Cotillo wrote on a post to X (formerly Twitter).
G.G. Geissler, a writer who covers the Red Sox for outlets including Pitcher List and a Substack newsletter, is among the bigger fans of both Clarke and Pitts, calling the duo “diabolical value to give up in exchange for a 36yo rental, even with STL eating some of his contract.”
“Yes, this was my initial reaction. I really love both players,” he wrote in a follow-up post.
“Clarke was my No. 3 org prospect. FF [four-seam fastball] reaches triple digits and has plus-plus potential, while the SL [slider] was one of the best pitches *in all of MiLB*. He’s a demon with command on the way.
“Everyone who has followed me knows how high I am on Fitts and his stuff. Simply needs consistent MLB innings, which I guess he’ll get in St. Louis.”