Braves acquire Sale from Red Sox for Grissom
The Atlanta Braves acquired left-hander Chris Sale and cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox for infielder Vaughn Grissom, the teams announced Saturday.
Sale, a seven-time All-Star, waived his no-trade clause to join Atlanta.
The Red Sox are sending $17 million to help cover Sale's $27.5-million salary in 2024, reports Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. Sale also has a $20-million club option for 2025.
Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Sale is "a perfect fit" based on clubhouse fit, makeup, and ability to be a playoff starter.
Anthopoulos added, "He's excited. He was already asking me when he can go and throw."
The 34-year-old authored a 4.30 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and 125 strikeouts over 102 2/3 innings (20 starts) last season. Sale hasn't logged more than 158 innings in a campaign since 2017 due to significant injuries.
Sale went 46-30 with a 3.27 ERA and 12.7 K/9 over 670 2/3 innings (115 starts) with Boston following a trade with the Chicago White Sox in December 2016. He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series before signing a five-year, $145-million extension in March 2019.
"Any time you trade someone like Sale, it's obviously a really, really tough baseball decision," Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said. "In the end, I thought this was a decision that was best for the Red Sox."
The move comes one day after Boston reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with right-handed starter Lucas Giolito. Breslow said Saturday the Red Sox plan to remain in the starting pitching market via free agency and trade, according to the Boston Herald's Mac Cerullo.
Grissom, meanwhile, owns a .287/.339/.407 slash line with five homers and 27 RBIs over a combined 64 games for the Braves between 2022 and '23. The 22-year-old made 41 starts at second base and 19 at shortstop. The Red Sox plan to use Grissom as their primary second baseman next season, according to The Athletic's Chad Jennings.
"There isn't enough I can say about the training staff, strength staff, coaching staff, clubbies, front office, media, the fans, grounds crew, the chefs, most importantly my teammates and the legends like Chipper (Jones) and (Terry) Pendleton who have constantly poured wisdom and love into me and my family since the draft," Grissom said in a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"Now for the Red Sox, I want to say thank you for believing in me and giving me a shot to play for this incredibly historic ball club and I couldn't be more excited for this next chapter with new teammates, new coaches, new fans and family. I can't wait to get started."
This is the latest offseason trade by a busy Braves club looking to build upon a 104-win campaign that ended with a loss in the 2023 NLDS.