photo: Brandon Clarke (Greenville Drive)
As they unload salary, the St. Louis Cardinals traded ace starting pitcher Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox for pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. Cash considerations are also included.
St. Louis Cardinals release
The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have completed a multi-player trade with the Boston Red Sox, acquiring pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke, and a player to be named later or cash considerations, in exchange for pitcher Sonny Gray and cash considerations.
“We are pleased to add these two talented young pitchers to our organization,” stated Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom. “Richard Fitts has already begun his big league career, and with his power stuff and willingness to attack the strike zone, he has the ability to start games at the highest level for many years. Brandon Clarke is an exciting left-handed prospect whose ceiling rivals that of any pitcher in the minor leagues. Both have the potential to be part of our growing core for a long time, and we are happy to welcome them to the Cardinals.”
Fitts, 25, is a 6-3, 245-pound right-hander who has made 15 appearances (14 starts) for the Red Sox over the past two seasons, going 2-5 with a 3.97 ERA over 65.2 innings pitched. He allowed 3 runs or fewer in 11 of his 14 career starts for the Red Sox and worked 5.0+ innings in eight starts. Fitts matched his career-high with 6 strikeouts in a 4.0 inning relief outing on Aug. 25, 2025 at Baltimore.
A former 6th round draft choice of the New York Yankees in 2021 out of Auburn University, Fitts was traded to the Red Sox in December of 2023. He has logged 80 games in the minors including 30 with Triple-A Worcester where he went 11-6 with a 4.13 ERA.
Fitts entered the 2025 season ranked as the Red Sox 12th best prospect by Baseball America and was listed as having the “best control” among pitchers in the Boston farm system.
Clarke, 22, was a Red Sox 5th round draft pick in 2024 and made 14 professional starts in 2025 between Greenville (High-A) and Salem (A), striking out 60 over his 38.0 innings pitched. The 6-4, 220-pound left-hander pitched for State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota and is a native of Ashburn, VA. Clarke is currently ranked as the 5th best prospect in the Red Sox system by MLB Pipeline.
Brian Walton’s take
The Cardinals reportedly included $20 million to help offset Gray’s backloaded contract. With St. Louis, he was to receive $35 million in 2026 plus a $5 million buyout on a $30 million team option for 2027. The Red Sox reworked his contract, giving him an extra million in 2026 and a $10 million mutual buyout for 2027. That guarantees the right-hander $41 million this coming season and a likely reentry to the free agent market in the fall.
In a Zoom meeting with media on Tuesday afternoon, President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom noted the Cardinals “prefer not to have to put cash in deals” but he had “ownership’s backing.” Bloom also acknowledged that the money sent with Gray “does eat into resources available.”
Despite Cardinals’ ongoing need for starting pitching, only increased by this trade, Bloom did not pencil Fitts’ name into the rotation. Still, it seems obvious that will happen, albeit not as a no. 1 like Gray.
Bloom said his club is getting a pitcher “quick to compete for a big league rotation spot”. He complimented the right-hander for having a “long runway” and with “upside that is incredible”. Fitts features a mid-90s fastball averaging 95.4 mph.
Asked about Fitts’ nerve issue (right arm neuritis related to the biceps and the surrounding nerves, not the elbow ligament) which surfaced late in 2025, Bloom was optimistic. “He is back throwing and will have a normal offseason,” the POBO said. “He will be ready to compete for a rotation spot in the spring.”
Still, the POBO acknowledged that the Cardinals “want to have rotation depth,” which they certainly did not create in this trade. While liking “the upside of the guys we have,” Bloom said he “hopes to add more guys that will help the rotation” this offseason.
That will not include Clarke, at least for several years, as he is still in Class-A. Bloom heaped on the praise, saying “his pure talent and extension is up there with anyone in the minors.”
The POBO cited Clarke’s challenges as “health, consistency and command,” and said these are “not all in place yet.”
Bloom acknowledged Clarke’s past trouble with blisters, which he called “a by-product of the unique things he can do on the mound.” The Cardinals will “put a comprehensive plan in place” with the lefty to address these challenges.
Clarke throws his four-seamer in the mid-to-high-90s, touching 99 mph. Recently added to his changeup and curveball are a cutter and a sweeper. In his initial professional season, Clarke struck out 14.2 batters per nine innings, but he walked 6.4 per nine.
Fangraphs currently ranks Clarke their no. 86 prospect in minor league baseball. That is four spots below Quinn Mathews and one spot above Tink Hence. He is not in the national top 100s of Baseball America and MLB Pipeline.
Clarke has been initially assigned to High-A Peoria, which makes sense given his meager 38 career innings to date.
In my view, Clarke’s upside is the wild card for the Cardinals in this trade. High risk and high ceiling.
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