Red Sox trade pitcher Chris Sale for Atlanta Braves infielder Vaughn Grissom
The Boston Red Sox on Saturday acquired infielder Vaughn Grissom from the Atlanta Braves, in exchange for left-handed pitcher Chris Sale and cash considerations, the team said in a statement.
Grissom, 22, has played in 64 games with Atlanta (2022-23), batting .287 (62-for-216) with five home runs and a .746 OPS while making 41 starts at second base and 19 at shortstop.
The right-handed hitter made his Major League debut at Fenway Park on Aug. 10, 2022, hitting a two-run home run over the Green Monster in his third plate appearance. In 102 games with Triple-A Gwinnett in 2023, he batted .330 (131-for-397) with a .419 on-base percentage, .501 slugging percentage, eight home runs, and 13 stolen bases in 15 attempts, striking out only 66 times while drawing 56 walks.
Born in Orlando, Florida, Grissom was selected by Atlanta in the 11th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of Paul J. Hagerty High School. He entered the 2022 season ranked as one of the Braves’ top prospects by MLB.com (No. 7) and by Baseball America (No. 12). Grissom will turn 23 years old on January 5, 2024.
Chris Sale off IL, expected to make first start since June
Sale, 34, has made 343 appearances (263 starts) over 13 Major League seasons with the Chicago White Sox (2010-16) and Red Sox (2017-19, ‘21-23), going 120-80 with a 3.10 ERA (614 ER/1,780.2 IP).
A seven-time All-Star and a 2018 World Series champion with Boston, Sale finished among the top six in American League Cy Young Award voting in each season from 2012-18. In six seasons with the Red Sox, the left-hander was 46-30 with a 3.27 ERA (244 ER/670.2 IP). Last season, he made 20 starts and went 6-5 with a 4.30 ERA (49 ER/102.2 IP).
Last year, Sale was caught on video having a destructive meltdown in the dugout after he was removed from a rehab start in Worcester. Sale could be seen bashing a baseball bat off the wall before yanking, kicking, and smashing what appeared to be a television.
BOSTON RED SOX 40-MAN ROSTER (39)
Pitchers (23): Brayan Bello, Brennan Bernardino, Isaiah Campbell, Kutter Crawford, Cooper Criswell, Wikelman Gonzalez, Tanner Houck, Joe Jacques, Kenley Jansen, Zack Kelly, Mauricio Llovera, Chris Martin, Bryan Mata, Chris Murphy, Luis Perales, Nick Pivetta, John Schreiber, Justin Slaten, Brandon Walter, Zack Weiss, Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, Josh Winckowski
Catchers (2): Reese McGuire, Connor Wong
Infielders (7): Triston Casas, Bobby Dalbec, Rafael Devers, Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, Trevor Story, Enmanuel Valdez
Outfielders (5): Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Tyler O’Neill, Rob Refsnyder, Masataka Yoshida
Infielder/Outfielders (2): Ceddanne Rafaela, Pablo Reyes
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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