The perception around Major League Baseball isn't positive right now when it comes to the idea of Sonny Gray sticking around with the Boston Red Sox ahead of the 2027 season.

Gray was brilliant in 2026. No one would ever deny that fact. Gray came to town to be the No. 2 starter behind Garrett Crochet and ended up turning back the clock and having one of the very best seasons of his big league career to this point. The 37-year-old went 18-5 in 2026, which led the league in wins, to go along with a 2.72 ERA and a 149-to-46 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 169 innings pitched. The Red Sox would not have turned around their season and made the playoffs if Gray wasn't on the roster.

For as good as he was, though, he's on the older side and he is going to cash in this winter. Boston has a strong rotation and holes elsewhere to spend on. This has led to buzz about Gray going elsewhere and ESPN's Paul Hembekides joined the chorus of industry experts predicting an exit and specifically mentioned the Atlanta Braves on Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney.

Where Will Sonny Gray Go?

"I'm sending him to Atlanta," Hembekides said of Gray. "Two years, $42 million dollars. I think the worst-kept secret in baseball is that he wants to live in the southeastern part of the country. I view the Braves as bringing him in, in addition as bringing back Tyler Mahle."

Hembekides isn't the first league insider to project Gray to leave Boston. He's also not the only person to specifically mention the Braves. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch floated the Braves as an option for Gray in October. The Athletic's Jim Bowden floated the Braves as one of three options for Gray, along with the Toronto Blue Jays and the San Diego Padres.

All signs point to the Braves not only being competition for Boston, but even seeming like the likely landing spot for the righty with a handful of insiders all mentioning them. Plus, the Braves had interest in Gray before the trade deadline.

WEEI's Rob Bradford specifically said that he's "not optimistic" about Gray returning to Boston in 2027.

All of this is to say, that the perception around the league isn't favorable to the idea of the righty coming back to Boston. If this comes to fruition, Gray will be remembered fondly as a player to go one-and-done in Boston with the likes of guys like Alex Bregman and Adrian Beltre. Gray's mutual option was turned down and all signs are pointing to the veteran hurler not returning to Boston at this point. Things could change if a market doesn't fully develop, but the odds aren't great.