BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: Sonny Gray #54 of the Boston Red Sox looks on after the final out of the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

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The Boston Red Sox have entered another important offseason with several questions facing chief baseball officer Craig Breslow as he attempts to build a roster capable of making a deeper postseason run next year.

Boston is coming off of a roller coaster season, which began with a poor start, then pivoted into a strong surge in the standings before a disappointing American League Wild Card Series elimination against the New York Yankees.

Now the team’s offseason priorities will include finding ways to improve an inconsistent offense while determining how to approach the pitching staff. And with that backdrop, Breslow has now issued a statement about the team’s outlook on a resurgent veteran shortly after he exited his contract.

“Obviously, we all saw what he did on the mound and what he meant to our team, but even beyond that, in the clubhouse, the veteran presence, the leadership, the calming presence that he has and the honesty which with he spoke,” Breslow said of Sonny Gray, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “He was really embraced by the team, by me, and by the rest of the office.”

Boston Red Sox Boss Craig Breslow Addresses Sonny Gray After Contract Change

Shortly after the season ended, the Red Sox declined their end of a mutual option with Gray, though he would have almost assuredly returned to the open market anyway after a remarkable campaign.

“Boston declined a $30 million option on Gray, who gets a $5 million buyout payable in five $1 million installments on each Jan. 15 from 2027-31,” the Associated Press reported. “Gray, a right-hander who turns 37 next week, agreed to a $75 million, three-year contract with St. Louis in November 2023 and was traded to Boston last November. He tied for the major league lead with 18 wins this year and posted a 2.72 ERA, his best in a full season.”

While Breslow praised Gray in his initial statement this week, he declined to get into specifics about whether or not the Red Sox are considering a reunion with him.

Sonny Gray’s Boston Red Sox Departure Comes After Career Year

Gray’s departure comes after one of the strongest seasons of his 14-year MLB career. The three-time All-Star finished the 2026 regular season with an 18-5 record and a 2.72 ERA across 29 starts, establishing career highs in wins and helping stabilize Boston’s rotation.

The right-hander had previously suggested that he might retire after this season, though he has since indicated that he is interested in returning to the mound and would be open to a return with the Red Sox.

But even with that interest and Breslow’s clear respect for what Gray brought to both the mound and the clubhouse, the Red Sox might be more interested in deploying their available payroll to some offensive reinforcement, rather than a veteran pitcher who has certainly earned a pay raise.