Expectations were high for Vaughn Grissom when the Boston Red Sox made him the centerpiece of the Chris Sale trade. But injuries wrecked Grissom’s time in Boston, leading to the team trading the shortstop to the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Grissom, 24, will now look to re-establish 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 flashed as a potential star in his first taste of the big leagues. Injuries pushed Grissom to the majors as a 21-year-old, where he more than held his own with the bat. As a rookie, Grissom slashed .291/.353/.440 over 156 plate appearances.
Grissom was expected to open the 2023 MLB season as the Braves’ shortstop after Dansby Swanson left in free agency. But Grissom failed to win the job in spring training and then spent the majority of the season in the minors. He received just 80 plate appearances in the majors that year, hitting .280/.313/.347.
While it was a disappointing performance, the Red Sox still saw something in Grissom’s bat. That December, Boston traded Sale to the Braves in exchange for Grissom and cash. The move was essentially a salary dump by Boston, which no longer wanted to pay Sale’s lengthy contract. Though Grissom was coming off a rough season, he was still young and the memory of his rookie season hadn’t faded just yet.
But injuries wrecked Grissom’s first year in Boston. Multiple 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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Following yet another down year, Grissom started the 2025 MLB season in the minors. Oft-injured Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story managed a comeback season, picking up 654 plate appearances. Because of that, 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 slated to start at second base for the Red Sox, Grissom was expendable. He should have an easier time finding playing time with the Angels, who are unsettled at both second and third base. Grissom, whose defense at short was always suspect, played every single infield position — 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 draft 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 debut, albeit in an extremely small sample.
