In a perfect world, the Boston Red Sox could simply run it back with the starting rotation they had in 2026, along with the addition of a healthy Garrett Crochet.

But that may not be the case. Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett will surely all be in the rotation, barring injuries. With the roster as it currently stands, Brayan Bello would seemingly be the guy to watch for the last spot. Sonny Gray shined in Boston's rotation in 2026, but he has a mutual option in his contract that isn't likely to be picked up. Gray will head to free agency, barring a surprise, and may not be back. In fact, The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey made it sound like she doesn't believe he'll be back, while also mentioning a potential landing spot.

"Last winter, Breslow said he wanted to add a No. 2 behind [Garrett Crochet], and the Gray trade seemed to fit that notion, but he also signed [Ranger Suarez] in free agency and made unexpected trades for [Jake Bennett] and [Johan Oviedo]. So, it’s a safe bet that more pitching is coming this winter. Meanwhile, Gray might return, but I suspect he’ll sign elsewhere. His family lives in Nashville, Tenn., and he’d like to be closer to home — Atlanta could be an ideal landing spot."

Have We Seen The Last Of Sonny Gray In Boston?

The idea of the Atlanta Braves being a landing spot for Gray has been mentioned for years at this point. Gray is from Tennessee and Atlanta is closer to home. In fact, the Braves are the closest big league team in baseball to Tennessee. Plus, of course, they're a World Series contender themselves. The Braves dealt with a handful of pitching injuries in 2026, including to Spencer Strider, and were a starter or two away from really making some noise.

The Braves were mentioned as a fit for Gray for this reason even back when he was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals. This isn't the first time Atlanta has been mentioned as a fit for Gray this offseason. Plus, the Braves reportedly showed interest in him ahead of the trade deadline when Boston was struggling. If Gray leaves, there is no team that makes more sense than the Braves.

Atlanta needs pitching and is close to home. It would be great if Gray stayed in Boston, but the price tag will be high and Boston has other needs to spend on, like potentially an Adley Rutschman extension. Gray was everything Boston could've asked for in 2026, but he very well could end up being one-and-done with the organization.