After posting a 65-97 record in the 2026 season, which was their worst since 2017, the San Francisco Giants have a lot of pressure on them to figure out how to become competitive again in the difficult National League landscape.

San Francisco has failed to post a winning record or make the playoffs since a dominant 107-win season in 2021 ended in a National League Division Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Following the failures of 2026, there is a question of whether or not president of baseball operations Buster Posey can be an effective executive for the same franchise he built a Hall of Fame career with as a player.

For Posey to do so, he has to take a hard and honest look at the team's pitching staff and make some upgrades. There are plenty of starting pitchers in the free-agent market, and if Posey wants to pursue a reliable veteran, he should consider Sonny Gray. 

Gray will turn 37 years old on Nov. 7, and while he is trending toward the end of his career, he is coming off one of his best seasons as a pro.

Gray spent the 2026 campaign with the Boston Red Sox, and he was a dominant force for a team that arguably had the best mid-season turnaround. Gray made 29 starts for the Red Sox and posted a career-best 18-5 record and a 2.72 ERA, his best since his rookie year in 2013. 

Gray also pitched 169 innings and struck out 149 batters.

According to recent contract projections from ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel, Gray is expected to sign a two-year, $42 million deal with his next team. If the Giants were to add him while possibly retaining ace Logan Webb, their presence could create a dynamic one-two punch that would bolster the Giants' starting rotation.

Given Gray's experience with multiple teams, he also knows what it takes to win and can provide the right intangibles and leadership for the younger pitchers on the Giants roster. While McDaniel did highlight that Gray's fastball velocity has declined as he ages, it is worth noting that he is still strong in other areas.

According to his Baseball Savant profile, Gray has a pitching run value in the 87th percentile and a fastball run value in the 88th percentile. He is also above average in breaking run value (74th percentile), chase rate (77th percentile), walk rate (79th percentile) and ground-ball rate (73rd percentile).

For the Giants, Gray could be a great option without breaking the bank, and after former MLB executive Jim Bowden recently called out San Francisco for its pitching troubles, it makes inquiring about Gray even more worth it.