Report: Former White Sox ace Chris Sale on the move in surprise blockbuster trade

Report: Former White Sox ace Chris Sale on the move in surprise blockbuster trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago

In a surprise blockbuster trade, former Chicago White Sox ace Chris Sale is on the move, concluding a seven-season tenure with the Boston Red Sox.

According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, the Atlanta Braves are acquiring Sale in exchange for infielder Vaughn Grissom.

The trade follows an offseason filled of curious moves for the Atlanta Braves so far, which has seen them take on and unload multiple contracts for veteran players while staying on the outside looking in on the free agent market, sans an acquisition of former White Sox pitcher Reynaldo Lopez.

Sale, a seven-time All-Star, will get a chance to be a mid-rotation starter for a World Series contender in his age-35 season, with the Braves clearly buying in on the lefty having more left in the tank despite his age and a history of recent injury issues.

After missing all of the 2020 season and appearing in just 11 games across the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Sale returned to make 20 starts in 2023, posting a 6-5 record with a 4.30 ERA.

Sale walked just 29 batters and struck out 125 in 102.2 innings of work in his return season, showing that the hard-throwing southpaw did not want to hang up the cleats quite yet.

Sale was among the game's most dominant pitchers from 2012 to 2018, making the All-Star team in each season and finishing top 5 in Cy Young Award voting in six straight seasons from 2013 to 2018.

As for Grissom, the trade marks an unceremonious end to his tenure in Atlanta, as the Braves part with a player they surely envisioned as part of their expansive young core of talent.

Grissom, 23 next week, has appeared in just 64 MLB games across the past two seasons, with mostly solid results at the plate.

While power hasn't quite arrived at the big league level for Grissom yet, he has still posted a .287/.339/.407 slash line in his limited MLB experience.

Primarily a second baseman with experience at shortstop as well, the trade demonstrates the Braves' confidence in a middle infield of Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia.

Grissom's fit is much more apparent on the Red Sox, who had a middle infield that hit well below average in 2023 and also lacked consistency in terms of personnel.

While Trevor Story's return from injury should give the Red Sox more stability at shortstop, Grissom should slot in as the second baseman in Beantown in 2024.

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