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The Atlanta Braves sent Vaughn Grissom to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for veteran pitcher Chris Sale on early Saturday afternoon.
Boston gets a player who did not have a clear path to playing time and will get his shot in Boston, while Atlanta gets a dominant lefty to pair with their other frontline starters if he can stay healthy.
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Given Red Sox fans may not be too familiar with Vaughn Grissom, we go over three reasons why the trade makes sense.
3 reasons the Vaughn Grissom trade makes sense
#3. Chris Sale's injury history
After signing his extension in 2019, Sale has had trouble staying on the field. He had Tommy John surgery in 2020, which caused him to miss the season. During the 2022 season, he battled a rib fracture and a right wrist fracture. But it did not end there. Last season, he spent time on the IL due to a stress reaction to his left scapula.
A team that shares a division with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles cannot have premiere players constantly on the IL. Boston recently acquired free-agent pitcher Lucas Giolito on Friday, giving them room to make this move.
#2. Grissom is an exciting prospect
Vaughn Grissom debuted for the Braves in 2022. Over the course of 41 games, he hit .291/.353/.440 over the season's final two months. He also has great bat-to-ball skills that haven't been showcased much at the big-league level yet.
Last season, Grissom hit .330/.419/.501 over 102 games at the Triple-A level. While he does not produce a ton of home runs, his exit velocity and amount of barrels are something the Red Sox can work with.
#1. Fit
While Grissom has come into the league as a shortstop, he has been a fringe defensive player. With Trevor Story returning from Tommy John and taking the bulk of the shortstop duties, Grissom could slot in at second base.
He has not really gotten a legit shot to get his feet under him in the big leagues. The Braves had a loaded roster, and while they tried to give him at-bats, it ultimately did not work out.
This is a solid trade for both parties. Boston gets a player that is under team control through the remainder of the 2020s. Atlanta gets a dominant starting pitcher to beef up their rotation as long as the player can stay healthy.
