ORLANDO, Fla. – The Chris Sale chapter in Boston Pink Sox historical past formally closed Tuesday afternoon with the commerce of infielder Vaughn Grissom to the Los Angeles Angels in alternate for outfield prospect Isaiah Jackson.
When the Pink Sox acquired Grissom, now 24, from the Atlanta Braves on Dec. 30, 2023, they anticipated him to be their on a regular basis second baseman. They raved concerning the energy potential, recalling how he blasted a two-run homer over the Inexperienced Monster when he debuted with the Braves on Aug. 10, 2022.
As a substitute, a groin damage derailed Grissom’s Pink Sox tenure earlier than the top of that first spring coaching. They have been making ready to activate him in late April when he fell in poor health with the flu and misplaced a number of kilos from his already-lean body.
Grissom made his Pink Sox debut on Might 3, 2024, however by June 1 he was injured once more, exiting the sport within the second inning with a hamstring pressure. Over 31 video games he batted .190 with a .465 OPS, 20 hits, three doubles, 10 runs and 6 batted in.
This 12 months, the Pink Sox optioned Grissom to Triple-A Worcester to start the season. Regardless of varied accidents to the big-league infield all through the season, by no means known as him up. He landed on the minor league injured listing in late August with proper foot irritation. Two weeks later, a plantar fasciitis prognosis formally ended his season.
Grissom grew pissed off along with his function, or lack thereof, and made it identified he would welcome a commerce. On an Angels workforce seemingly at all times in rebuild mode, he ought to get the recent begin he wants.
Sale, in the meantime, spent the ’24 season lastly finishing the comeback he by no means managed in Boston following his April 2020 Tommy John surgical procedure. He led the majors with a 2.38 ERA, 2.09 FIP, and 18 wins, topped the Nationwide League with 225 strikeouts, was an All-Star for the primary time since 2018, and received his first profession Gold Glove and Cy Younger awards. Over two seasons with the Braves, the previous Sox southpaw is 25-8 with a 2.46 ERA in 50 video games.
The Angels chosen Jackson out of Arizona State College within the eighth spherical of this 12 months’s draft. He was their No. 25 prospect, in response to MLB Pipeline.
The commerce additionally opens a spot on the 40-man roster, a notable profit forward of Wednesday’s Rule 5 Draft.
