Red Sox: Sonny Gray Players Choice Award Finalist Honor

Red Sox: Sonny Gray Players Choice Award Finalist Honor


Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray is a finalist for American League Outstanding Pitcher in the Players Choice Awards, the Major League Baseball Players Association announced. As a Sonny Gray Players Choice Award finalist, Gray joins Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease and New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler as the three finalists, with the winners to be revealed during the week of October 26.




What did Sonny Gray do in his first season with the Boston Red Sox?


Sonny Gray finished his debut season in Boston with a 2.72 ERA over 169 innings in 29 starts. Reports on the finalists noted Gray recorded 18 victories, tying for the major league lead, and that his 2.72 ERA was the second-best mark of his career, the fifth-lowest among qualified American League starters and eighth among qualified starters in Major League Baseball.


Gray arrived in Boston from the St. Louis Cardinals with questions about age and durability at 36 years old. Gray answered those questions by anchoring a Boston Red Sox rotation that led the American League in pitcher fWAR this season at 23.3, according to the analysis published on October 20.





Who are the other AL Outstanding Pitcher Award finalists?


The AL Outstanding Pitcher Award finalists are an all-AL East group. Dylan Cease made 29 starts for the Toronto Blue Jays and went 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, striking out 239 batters. Cam Schlittler emerged for the New York Yankees and shared the finalist spot with Cease and Gray after a season that also included 239 strikeouts for Cease tied for third-most in the majors, a mark Schlittler matched in the reporting on Cease.


That all three finalists pitch in the American League East underlines how strong pitching in the division was in 2026. Including the Boston Red Sox, five of the top six American League teams in pitcher fWAR came from the AL East, with only the Cleveland Guardians breaking up that group at No. 3.




What does the honor mean for the Red Sox need for a power bat?


The October 20 analysis argued the Red Sox need for a power bat looks even clearer after the pitching finalists were named. Boston Red Sox pitching ranked at the top of the American League, but competing with Dylan Cease in Toronto and Cam Schlittler in New York means Boston must score against elite starters to win the division.


For fans visiting Fenway Park for the first time next season, Gray was a reminder that Boston can win low-scoring games at Fenway Park. The next step for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and the Boston front office is adding offensive support so strong starts from Sonny Gray and the rest of the rotation are not wasted.





What happens next in the Players Choice Awards?


The Major League Baseball Players Association has run the Players Choice Awards since 1992, and the awards are voted on by the players themselves. That peer vote is why a finalist place carries weight inside clubhouses: Sonny Gray was judged by the hitters and pitchers who faced the Boston Red Sox all season.


Winners will be revealed during the week of October 26. Whether Sonny Gray wins or finishes behind Dylan Cease or Cam Schlittler, the finalist honor already confirms his first season in Boston as one of the best pitching seasons in the American League in 2026.


FAQ


When will the Players Choice Award winners be announced?

The winners will be revealed during the week of October 26, according to the Major League Baseball Players Association announcement reported by multiple outlets.


What were Sonny Gray's stats in 2026?

Sonny Gray posted a 2.72 ERA over 169 innings in 29 starts for the Boston Red Sox, with 18 victories reported in finalist coverage.


Who else is a finalist for AL Outstanding Pitcher?

Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays and Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees are the other two finalists alongside Sonny Gray of the Boston Red Sox.


Related:

https://www.bostonsportnews.com/2026/10/visiting-fenway-park-for-first-time.html


Sources:

https://bosoxinjection.com/red-sox-need-for-power-bat-looks-even-clearer-after-mlbpas-pitching-award-nominees

https://bluejaysnation.com/news/toronto-blue-jays-dylan-cease-nominated-for-mlbpas-outstanding-pitcher-award

Location: Boston, MA, USA

Latest News

Loading latest stories…

Popular posts from this blog

Bruins Chase Fifth Straight Win Tonight Against Winless Kings

Image
The Boston Bruins are red hot, and they get another late night in Los Angeles tonight with a chance to make it five straight wins. The Bruins (6-2-0) visit the Los Angeles Kings (0-3-2) at Crypto.com Arena with puck drop set for 9 p.m. ET on NESN. Boston is riding a four-game winning streak after Friday night's 4-2 comeback over the Anaheim Ducks, where the Bruins trailed 2-0 before scoring four unanswered goals. Tonight is the third stop on a four-game road trip, and the Bruins have won both games so far on the trip. Swayman Returns to the Crease Jeremy Swayman is expected to start in net after Michael DiPietro earned his first NHL win on Friday in Anaheim, per NHL.com. Swayman has been excellent to open the season, going 5-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. Offensively, Boston keeps rolling through captain David Pastrnak. His third goal of the season Friday gave him 423 for his career, passing Brad Marchand for fourth on the Bruins' all-time goa...
Read more

Bruins Rally Past Ducks 4-2: Lindholm, Pastrnak Spark Comeback

Image
The Boston Bruins stormed back from a two-goal first-period deficit to beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Friday night at Honda Center, scoring four unanswered goals -- three on the power play -- to extend their winning streak to four games and improve to 6-2-0 on the season. Bruins Erase 2-0 Hole in Anaheim The night started badly for Boston. Tim Washe opened the scoring with 37.3 seconds left in the first period, sliding a long wrist shot through a screen and through Michael DiPietro's legs. Just 21 seconds later, Beckett Sennecke finished a slick passing play -- Cutter Gauthier touching it to Nikita Nesterenko, who fed Sennecke for the redirect at the far post -- to make it 2-0. Sennecke's tally was his fifth of the season. Anaheim controlled the opening 20 minutes, but the Ducks went into a shell. They managed only four shots on goal in the third period and were blanked on five power-play chances after entering the night with the league's second-best power play at 33.3 perce...
Read more

Red Sox Release Catcher Juan Montero After Six Years

Image
The Boston Red Sox have quietly begun their offseason housecleaning. The Worcester Red Sox released catcher Juan Montero earlier this week, ending the 24-year-old’s six-year run in the organization, according to the minor-league transactions log reflected on his official MiLB.com profile. The move was first reported Saturday. A Quiet End to a Six-Year Run Montero made his professional debut in 2021 and spent six seasons in the Red Sox farm system as a defense-first backstop. His profile was exactly that of a minor-league glove man: a solid defensive reputation tempered by limited offense and availability. Across 446 minor-league plate appearances, he slashed .209/.337/.302 with two home runs, 38 RBI and 122 strikeouts. The release clears a roster spot in Triple-A Worcester and signals that Montero was no longer part of the organization’s catching-depth plans. For Montero, it opens the door to free agency and a chance to catch on with another club before spring training. At 24, he remai...
Read more

Red Sox Land Three 2026 Gold Glove Finalists

Image
The Boston Red Sox may have fallen short in the Wild Card round, but their defense earned league-wide recognition this week. On Wednesday, Rawlings announced the 2026 Gold Glove Award finalists, and three Red Sox players made the cut: right fielder Wilyer Abreu, center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela, and third baseman Caleb Durbin. Abreu Eyes a Third Straight Gold Glove Abreu is the headliner of the trio. The right fielder has won the award in each of the last two seasons, and the 2026 numbers suggest he remains the class of the position. He led all major league outfielders with 28 defensive runs saved and paced all right fielders with 13 assists. The competition in right field includes Toronto's Nathan Lukes and Houston's Cam Smith, but Abreu's track record and run-prevention totals make him a strong candidate to capture a third consecutive trophy. He also posted a career-best 24 home runs and 76 RBIs at the plate, rounding out one of the best all-around seasons of any Red Sox p...
Read more

Red Sox Trade Rumors: Padres 'Love' Jarren Duran, Says Heyman

Image
Jarren Duran's time in Boston could be running out. MLB insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on the Bleacher Report app this week that if the Red Sox trade Duran this offseason, it will "probably be to the Padres because they love him." The Athletic's Dennis Lin added fuel, reporting that Boston and San Diego have had recent trade discussions centered on the 30-year-old outfielder, per multiple reports. There is no indication a deal is imminent, but the league-wide interest is real: several clubs have reached out to the Red Sox front office about Duran's availability. Why Duran Could Be On The Move The 2026 season was the worst of Duran's career. The former All-Star batted just .207 with a .627 OPS across 151 games, making him one of the least productive qualified hitters in baseball. That is a stunning fall from his 9.0-bWAR breakout campaign in 2024, and his production has now declined two straight years, from 4.9 bWAR in 2025 to 0.4 this season....
Read more

Bruins Beat Kings 4-1 for Fifth Straight Win, California Sweep

Image
Bruins Beat Kings 4-1 for Fifth Straight Win, California Sweep The Boston Bruins kept rolling on Saturday night, shaking off an early deficit and a back-to-back to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 at Crypto.com Arena. The win extends Boston's streak to five games and completes a sweep of the California portion of their road trip. The Bruins (7-2) trailed for most of the opening period after Alex Laferriere scored just 31 seconds in, set up by Adrian Kempe, per the Kings' NHL.com recap. But Boston found its footing in the second, outshooting Los Angeles 12-7 in the period and getting the equalizer at 2:43 when David Pastrnak pounced on a loose puck, won a footrace through the neutral zone, and snapped a wrist shot past Anton Forsberg. The goal was Pastrnak's fourth of the season and his ninth point in five games, extending his point streak to five. According to NHL.com, it was also the 289th even-strength goal of his career, tying him with Phil Esposito for the third-most in f...
Read more

Red Sox's Willson Contreras Fumes After Brother Snubbed for NLCS MVP

Image
Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras made his feelings about the National League Championship Series MVP vote crystal clear Thursday night — then quickly tried to take it back. A Family Feud Ignites After the Pennant Shortly after the Milwaukee Brewers completed a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday to win their first pennant since 1982, Contreras took to Instagram to argue that his brother William — Milwaukee's star catcher — deserved the NLCS MVP award over teammate Jake Bauers. In a series of three now-deleted Instagram stories, Contreras posted a photo of his brother wearing a crown with the caption "THE REAL MVP," followed by a screenshot of William's postseason numbers captioned "Numbers don't lie." A third story carried the pointed line, "Tell me where you are from, and I'll give you the MVP," which many interpreted as an accusation of bias in the voting. Per reports from EssentiallySports and albat.com, Contrer...
Read more

Celtics Cap Perfect Preseason With 125-120 OT Win Over 76ers

Image
The Boston Celtics finished the preseason a perfect 4-0, outlasting the Philadelphia 76ers 125-120 in overtime Friday night at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. It took extra basketball, but Boston's deep bench outworked a Sixers squad that played most of its starters — and sent a clear message that the green-and-whites have real depth behind their rotation. Philadelphia controlled the game for long stretches. The Sixers led 60-58 at halftime, then ripped off 34 third-quarter points to take a 94-84 edge into the fourth. Joel Embiid poured in a game-high 27 points, Tyrese Maxey added 22 points and six assists, and LeBron James chipped in 8 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in his first home game as a 76er. Jaylen Brown scored 20 points in 31 minutes in his first action against his old team. But Boston closed the night like a team with something to prove. The Celtics outscored Philadelphia 31-21 in the fourth quarter and 10-5 in overtime to steal the win on the road. Deep Bench Steals the Sho...
Read more

Get Boston Sports in Your Inbox

The day's top Boston story and biggest headlines — free, every evening.

Subscribe Free