Sonny Gray confident he can thrive in Boston, ‘where it’s easy to hate the Yankees’

With a no-trade clause in his pocket, it was an immediate yes for Sonny Gray when he found out the Cardinals were dealing him to the Red Sox this offseason.

There were a number of factors that played into the veteran right-hander’s decision to okay the deal, and one of them is the heated rivalry with the Yankees.

Gray, of course, had a stint to forget after being dealt to the Bronx from the Athletics ahead of the 2017 deadline.

While he’s grateful for how those struggles helped him grow both on and off the field, he’s extremely excited to now be teaming up with one of their most-hated foes this season.

“It feels good to go to a place where it’s easy to hate the Yankees,” he said. “It’s easy to go out and have that rivalry, and go in it with full-force, just full steam ahead -- I like the challenge, I appreciate the challenge, I accept the challenge.”

Gray admitted that he never wanted to be dealt to the Big Apple in the first place, and while he was there he simply felt that he couldn't be himself.

The 35-year-old ended up being traded to the Reds during the 2019 offseason, and after fighting through some early-season struggles was able to regain his dominant form, putting together his second All-Star appearance.

He lasted for three years in Cincy, then enjoyed a two-year stint in Minnesota, and spent the past two seasons with the Cardinals before being dealt to the Sox.

Though there’s some concern about him back under the bright lights with a big market club, Gray is confident Boston will be the perfect fit for him this time around.

“I followed along last year," he said. "The situation Boston is in, I felt like it would be a good situation, because I’ve always said I wanted to go to a market that is super competitive, a big market that wants to win -- I know I can thrive in that situation.

“I've wanted another opportunity to prove to myself and just go and be myself, and Boston just checked all of the boxes -- it’s a situation that works for me and one that I comfortable in, and that's what is important for me.”