St. Louis Cardinals Starting Pitcher Sonny Gray With a Great Start
St. Louis Cardinals Starting Pitcher Sonny Gray had a start for ages last night on the road against the Cleveland Guardians. He surrendered one hit over a complete game where he struck out 11. A “Maddux” is a start in which a pitcher tosses a complete-game shutout on fewer than 100 pitches.
The Cardinals pitcher needed only 89 pitches to get the job done on Friday night. That is the fewest in a “Maddux” since Adam Wainwright threw 88 pitches on August 11, 2021. Gray’s 11 punchouts are also the most in a sub-90 pitch “Maddux” since pitch counts were tracked (1988). The only other starting pitcher since 1988 with a shutout on fewer than 90 pitches with 10+ strikeouts was David Cone’s perfect game in July 1999. Gray has been good this season. He is 8-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Will the veteran continue pitching well this year?
Sonny Gray Career Summary
Sonny Gray!!
89 pitches!
The fewest in a Maddux since 88 by Adam Wainwright on 8/11/21
And 11 strikeouts! The most in a sub-90 pitch Maddux since pitch counts tracked (1988) https://t.co/5yOjWds9nj
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) June 28, 2025
Gray made his MLB debut in 2013 with the then-Oakland Athletics. He is a three-time MLB All-Star and has three top-10 finishes in Cy Young voting. The veteran finished a career-best second in AL Cy Young voting in 2023. His MLB career has included stints with the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, and St. Louis Cardinals.
Final Thoughts
Gray’s next scheduled start is on July 2 on the road against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He has been effective in both his starts against the Pirates this season. He has surrendered one earned run over 12 innings of work while striking out 12. The veteran will look to keep it going the next time he toes the slab.
