Expectations were high for Vaughn Grissom when the Boston Red Sox made him the centerpiece of the Chris Sale trade. But injuries marred Grissom’s time in Boston, leading the team to trade the shortstop to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Grissom, 24, will now look to reestablish himself in the majors with his third professional team.
The Red Sox will receive outfielder Isaiah Jackson in exchange for Grissom.
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As a member of the Atlanta Braves, Grissom presented himself as a potential star during his first taste of the major leagues. Injuries pushed Grissom to the majors at age 21, where he more than held his own with the bat. As a rookie, Grissom slashed .291/.353/.440 in 156 plate appearances.
Grissom was expected to open the 2023 MLB season as the Braves’ shortstop following the departure of Dansby Swanson in free agency. But Grissom failed to win the job during spring training and subsequently spent the majority of the season in the minors. He received only 80 plate appearances in the majors that year, hitting .280/.313/.347.
Even though it was a disappointing performance, the Red Sox still saw something in Grissom’s bat. In December of that year, Boston traded Sale to the Braves in exchange for Grissom and cash. The move was essentially a pay cut by Boston, who no longer wanted to pay Sale’s lengthy contract. Even though Grissom was coming off a difficult season, he was still young and the memory of his rookie season had not yet faded.
But injuries destroyed Grissom’s first year in Boston. Several issues limited the infielder to just 114 plate appearances with Boston. He hit just .190 in 2024. Sale, meanwhile, won his first career Cy Young Award in his first year with the Braves.
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After another down year, Grissom began the 2025 MLB season in the minors. Oft-injured Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story had a successful comeback season, collecting 654 plate appearances. For this reason, the Red Sox had no incentive to call up Grissom last season. He spent the entire year in the minors, hitting .270/.342/.441.
With Story healthy and Ceddanne Rafaela scheduled to start at second base for the Red Sox, Grissom was replaceable. He should have an easier time finding playing time with the Angels, who are shaky at second and third base. Grissom, whose defense has always been suspect, played every position on the field — except catcher — in the minors last year.
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Jackson, 21, is unlikely to play a major role for the Red Sox this season. After being an eighth-round pick by the Angels last season, Jackson struggled in High-A, hitting just .219 in 37 plate appearances. The Red Sox will work to develop him after a disappointing start, albeit in an extremely small sample size.
