Chris Sale traded to Braves for Vaughn Grissom

Chris Sale traded to Braves for Vaughn Grissom

The Boston Red Sox have traded southpaw pitcher Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves for middle infielder Vaughn Grissom, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan was first to report Saturday.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Braves are acquiring seven-time All-Star Chris Sale in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, sources tell ESPN. Well-regarded infield prospect Vaughn Grissom is the return to Boston, which will send money with Sale, who waived his no-trade clause to join Atlanta

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 30, 2023

Sale, 34, was entering the final guaranteed year of a five-year, $145 million deal he signed ahead of the 2019 season. Sale had a full no-trade clause, which he reportedly waived to make this trade go through. He will carry a $17.5 million cap hit ($25M luxury tax salary) in 2024 with a $15 million club option ($20 million luxury tax) in 2025, if the Braves want to bring him back.

Sale has made just 31 combined starts over the last four seasons–spending 2020 and most of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery before breaking his wrist in 2022–after making 25-plus starts in each of his previous eight seasons. 

Last year, he posted a 4.30 ERA (106 ERA+) over 102.2 innings, featuring a 3.80 FIP, 3.71 xERA (expected ERA), 3.72 xFIP, 2.1 fWAR and a 29.4 strikeout rate.

He graded in the 70th percentile or better in xERA (75th), xBA (85th), chase rate (92nd), whiff rate (75th), strikeout rate (88th), walk rate (75th) and hard-hit rate (80th), according to Baseball Savant. He might not be the same CY Young pitcher he was when he first arrived in Boston, but is still capable of being an above-average starter if he can remain healthy.

Grissom, 23, began last season in Triple-A Gwinnett after dazzling with the big league club at the end of 2022. He ultimately finished with 80 plate appearances in 2023 after being blocked by Orlando Arcia, slashing .280/.313/.347 with four extra-base hits and nine RBIs. In 64 career games, he sports a .746 OPS (105 OPS+) with five homers, 27 RBIs and five stolen bases.

Sale rounds out a rotation of Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, Charlie Morton and Max Fried while the Sox landed perhaps their second baseman of the future in Grissom? What do you think about this trade? Let us know in the comments below!

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