ORLANDO, Fla. -- Brian Cashman says Sonny Gray acknowledged he expressed a desire to play in New York at the behest of his agent so as not to harm his free agency value and didn't voice his dislike of the Big Apple until after the 2018 trade deadline had passed.

After his arrival for Major League Baseball's winter meetings, the longtime New York Yankees general manager was asked about Gray, who was acquired by the Boston Red Sox in a trade from the St. Louis Cardinals last month. The veteran starter spoke of his 1½ seasons in New York during a videoconference on Dec. 2, announcing the signing.

"New York was, it just wasn't a good situation for me, wasn't a great setup for me and my family," he said. "I never wanted to go there in the first place."

Gray was traded from Oakland to

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