Jeff Gray

Jeffrey Edward Gray (born April 10, 1963) is a former professional baseball relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds in 1988 and for the Boston Red Sox in 1990 and 1991. Listed at and , Gray batted and threw right-handed. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1984 out of Florida State University.

Playing career A forkball specialist, Gray started his professional career in 1984 in the Philadelphia Phillies' minor-league system for two years. He was traded along with John Denny from the Phillies to the Cincinnati Reds for Tom Hume and Gary Redus on December 11, 1985. In 1986, he posted a 14–2 record with a 2.35 ERA and 15 saves for the Double-A Vermont Reds.

Gray returned to Boston for the 1991 season, where he made 50 relief appearances through late July. One of the best middle relievers of the league at this time, he had allowed only 39 hits in innings, with a 2.34 ERA. Opposing batters had a .181 batting average against him (left-handed .200, right-handed .161).

Injury On July 30, 1991, Gray was preparing to go out onto the field for his daily routine when his right side went numb, and he suffered what was later diagnosed as a kind of stroke, ending what had been a brilliant season.

Gray missed the rest of the 1991 and 1992 seasons while recuperating from the stroke. He attempted to return to baseball over the following two seasons, but had lost a lot of velocity on his fastball and was never able to return to the majors.

In a three-season major-league career, Gray posted a 4–7 record with a 3.33 ERA and 10 saves in 96 appearances, including a 3.31 strikeout-to-walk ratio (96-to-29) in innings pitched.

Post-playing career Gray returned to the game as a pitching coach. As of 2003, he was the pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Reds. He was also the co-owner of a Beef O'Brady's restaurant in Sarasota, Florida, along with former Red Sox teammate Jody Reed.