Boston Purple Sox pitcher Sonny Grey apparently is trying ahead to taking over his new group’s greatest rival, saying he’s completely happy to be in “a spot the place it is simple to hate the Yankees.”
The Purple Sox acquired the well-traveled Grey in a commerce with the St. Louis Cardinals final week, including the sturdy pitcher to a beginning rotation that was skinny on choices throughout Boston’s postseason ouster in New York.
Grey already is acquainted with the Purple Sox-Yankees rivalry after spending components of two seasons within the Bronx earlier in his profession, and the three-time All-Star did not mince phrases when discussing his expertise in New York.
“It simply wasn’t a great scenario for me,” Grey advised reporters Tuesday. “It wasn’t a terrific setup for me and my household. I by no means needed to go there within the first place.”
That clearly wasn’t the case for Grey with the Purple Sox, who wanted the right-hander to waive his no-trade clause to finish their cope with the Cardinals.
“What did issue into my resolution to return to Boston — it feels good to me to go to a spot now the place, what, it is simple to hate the Yankees,” he stated. “It is easy to exit and have that rivalry and go into it with full power, full steam forward. I just like the problem.”
Grey struggled to a 4.51 ERA — practically a full run larger than his profession numbers — throughout his 41-game run with the Yankees in 2017 and 2018. New York acquired Grey in a blockbuster cope with the Athletics solely to commerce him lower than 18 months later to the Cincinnati Reds, the place he started reviving his profession.
“When that was taking place, and we had been in Oakland and getting traded — that was a very long time in the past — I by no means needed to go [to New York],” Grey stated. “So then I used to be there, and it simply did not actually work for who I’m. … I simply wasn’t myself. I simply did not really feel like I used to be allowed to go on the market and be Sonny.”
Grey, 36, has a 3.58 ERA over a 13-year profession with the Athletics, Yankees, Reds, Twins and Cardinals. He joins a Purple Sox rotation that’s led by ace Garrett Crochet but in addition contains a handful of unproven candidates after right-hander Brayan Bello.
Grey is the most recent Purple Sox pitcher to publicly say that he did not take pleasure in taking part in for the Yankees.
Star nearer Aroldis Chapman stated earlier this offseason that he would “retire on the spot” earlier than taking part in for New York once more, including that he “handled lots of disrespect” from Yankees administration.
Grey, who’s 66-50 with a 3.51 ERA in seven seasons since leaving the Yankees, acknowledged that he realized a terrific deal from his time in New York.
“I have been a greater baseball participant, husband, all the pieces from having that have and going by means of that,” he stated.
Boston’s first collection with the Yankees subsequent season will likely be April 21-23 at Fenway Park. The Purple Sox play their first collection in Yankee Stadium June 5-7.
If he finally ends up pitching for the Purple Sox within the Bronx, Grey hinted that issues will likely be completely different.
“This time round, it is simply exit and be your self,” he stated. “Do not attempt to be something aside from your self. If individuals do not prefer it, it’s what it’s. I’m who I’m, and I am OK with that.”