In his first public appearance in a Boston Red Sox uniform, the organization's newest pitcher befriended the team's fans by attacking the New York Yankees.
I never wanted to go [to New York] first of all. It's nice to go somewhere [Boston] where it's easy to hate the Yankees.
And then last night (Sunday) the opposite reaction occurred. from Bombardiers general manager Brian Cashmanwho said Gray lied behind the scenes about wanting to play for the team before the club acquired him in 2017, leading to a failed marriage.
Sonny Gray's agent, Beau McKinnis, says it makes “no sense” to believe that Gray lied to people about wanting to play for the Yankees to help his free agent and that he told Gray to do so, refuting Cashman's claims.
READ with @Ken_Rosenthal https://t.co/3Rf TMuvaMK
— Brendan Kuty
(@BrendanKutyNJ) December 8, 2025
Indeed, speaking to reporters at the winter meetings, Cashman claimed that Gray, then with the Oakland Athletics, told anyone who would listen at the time that he wanted to play for the Yankees, and that Gray later admitted that he had been lying all along.
When he was with the A's, he would tell our minor league video coordinator, “You have to take me to the Yankees.” Tell Cash to bring me to the Yankees. I want to leave Auckland. I want the championship.” He reported this to several different people.
Cashman noted that Gray eventually told him he didn't want to be a member of the Yankees.
It was 2018 when he told me he never wanted to be here. He hated New York. This was the worst place for him. He was just sitting in his hotel room.
That's all it took for Agent Gray Beau McKinnis to break out the mothballs.
Brian is trying to make people believe that I told Sonny to lie to the minor league video guy and try to send Sonny to the Yankees to help his case in free agency next time. It just doesn't make sense. Moreover, the words “I want to leave Oakland” were never uttered by Sonny. He enjoyed spending time with “A”.
Let's just say it adds another layer to the rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees. Can't wait for the 2026 season.
This content was created using artificial intelligence.
