Cardinals fans express gratitude toward Adam Wainwright for playing a big role in Sonny Gray signing: "Absolute legend"

Sonny Gray entered the offseason as one of the most underrated names on the free agent market. Even though he was coming off of an incredible season with the Minnesota Twins, he is not the household name of someone such as Blake Snell or Shohei Ohtani.

However, on any given day, Sonny Gray can be as effective as any pitcher available on the open market. This is why when it became official that the veteran had signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, many felt that it would end up being one of the best signings of the offseason.

Although the St. Louis Cardinals' generous three-year, $75 million offer certainty helped Gray decide to join his new club, apparently there was someone else putting in the work.

Recently retired club legend Adam Wainwright reportedly spoke with Gray prior to his signing. According to multiple reports, Gray had reached out to Wainwright, inquiring about the St. Louis Cardinals organization and what it is like playing baseball in the city.

Clearly, Adam Wainwright gave a glowing review because it was not long into the offseason that Gray agreed to join the club. Cardinals fans instantly took to social media to praise the club icon, saying that he never stops delivering for the team.

A closer look at Sonny Gray's 2023 season

Gray is the third starting pitcher to join the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, joining both Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn in the revamped rotation. That being said, Gray is coming off the best season of the trio. After a disappointing 2023 campaign, the Cardinals will hope that their new signings will help them return to the postseason.

Last year as a member of the Minnesota Twins, Sonny Gray was sensational. The three-time All-Star posted an 8-8 record with an excellent 2.79 ERA and 183 strikeouts over 184.0 innings. He finished second in American League Cy Young voting last season, ultimately losing to Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees.