Red Sox-Angels Trade Explained: Why Vaughn Grissom Was Dealt Now

The Boston Red Sox are cutting ties with the prize from the team's Chris Sale trade before the 2024 season.

Boston sent the oft-injured Sale to the Braves in a deal centered around infielder Vaughn Grissom. At the time, Grissom was viewed as a potential middle-infield piece of the future for the team. He played in 64 games with the Braves across the 2022 and 2023 seasons and slashed .287/.339/.407 with five homers and 27 RBIs before he even turned 23 years old.

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Unfortunately, his stint with Boston didn't go as planned. He played in just 31 games in the big leagues for Boston in 2024 and zero in 2025. Rumors have swirled about the possibility of a trade for a while now and the organization reportedly got one done on Tuesday. ESPN's Jeff Passan broke the news on X and reported that Grissom will be going to the Los Angeles Angels.

The Red Sox are making another move

"The Los Angeles Angels are acquiring infielder Vaughn Grissom in a trade with the Boston Red Sox, sources tell ESPN," Passan wrote on X.

MassLive.com Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo confirmed the news while noting that the swap is for a minor leaguer and clears a 40-man roster spot ahead of the Rule 5 Draft.

"Source confirms: Red Sox sending Vaughn Grissom to the Angels for a minor league player," Cotillo wrote. "Jeff Passan on it. Sox clear a 40-man spot, too, with Rule 5 coming."

That's arguably the most important part of the move. The Red Sox are loaded with middle infielders right now and there wasn't much of a pathway to playing time for Grissom. Offloading him right now clears the roster spot ahead of Wednesday's Rule 5 Draft.

Cotillo reported that 2025 eighth-round outfielder Isaiah Jackson was the minor leaguer in the swap.

"Red Sox got Isaiah Jackson from Angels for Vaughn Grissom, per sources," Cotillo wrote on X.

The Grissom-Sale trade is going to be remembered as a failure for the team, although that is harsh. At the time of the deal, Grissom had immense promise. He still does at 24 years old, but the opportunity was no longer there in Boston with guys like Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell moving on up through the farm system and into the majors. At the time the Red Sox traded Sale, he had made 31 total appearances over the previous four seasons dating back to 2020. In comparison, he made 50 appearances over the last two seasons with the Braves and won a Cy Young Award.

It was unlucky, but now the Red Sox have an open roster spot and can try to use it during the Rule 5 Draft with another lottery ticket at a position of need.

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