Gray was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round,72nd overall,of the 2018 MLB draft. He signed and made his professional debut with the Greeneville Reds,going 2–2 with a 2.58 ERA in 12 starts.[4]
Gray did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[10] In 2021,Gray was assigned to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers,where he was the opening day starter. However,he was shut down after the start and missed the next two months due to a shoulder strain.[11] He rejoined Oklahoma City and pitched in three more games. He had 22 strikeouts against only two walks in 15+2⁄3 innings. On July 20, 2021, Gray was added to the 40-man roster promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[12] He made his MLB debut the same day, pitching four innings and allowing four earned runs (on three home runs) with seven strikeouts versus the San Francisco Giants. His first MLB strikeout was against Wilmer Flores.[13] He appeared in one other game for the Dodgers, making his first MLB start on July 25 against the Colorado Rockies, striking out six in four innings while allowing two runs on three hits and four walks.[14]
Washington Nationals
On July 30, 2021, Gray was traded to the Washington Nationals along with Keibert Ruiz, Donovan Casey, and Gerardo Carrillo in exchange for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner.[15] Gray debuted for Washington on August 2, 2021, vs the Philadelphia Phillies. He allowed four hits and one run over five innings for no decision.[16] On September 22, 2021, Gray recorded his first Major League win in a 6 inning outing against the Miami Marlins, in which he allowed 6 hits and 2 earned runs while recording 8 strikeouts.[17]
Gray pitching for the Nationals in 2022
In 2022, he was 7–10 with a 5.02 ERA in 148.2 innings, and led the majors in home runs allowed, with 38, and the highest rate of home runs per 9 innings, at 2.3.[18]
In 2023, Gray went 8–13 and posted a career-best 3.91 ERA. He was named to the 2023 MLB All-Star Game as the Nationals' only representative.[19] At the All-Star game, Gray pitched the bottom of the third inning for the National League, allowing no runners on base.[20] The National League team would win the game, 3–2.[20]
Gray made only 2 starts for the Nationals in 2024 before he was placed on the injured list with flexor strain on April 9, 2024.[21] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 5.[22] On July 19, it was announced that Gray would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament.[23]
Personal life
Gray's stepfather, who taught him how to pitch, coached him and raised him, died of cancer a month after he was a second-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Reds. His stepfather suffered a long illness and wasn’t able to see Gray pitch often during his last season at Le Moyne.
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