Every passing day, Atlanta Braves fans feel better and better about the trade that brought Chris Sale to Atlanta. Meanwhile, Red Sox fans have been unhappy with Vaughn Grissom from the moment he got there. Alex Anthopoulos has to feel good about how this trade turned out, and with every update we get this trade only gets more lopsided.
In a recent report from Red Sox reporter Christopher Smith, the expectation in Boston is that it is doubtful Grissom will be on the 40-man roster come spring training, because he is out of minor league options. That is a rather steep drop off for the once promising prospect in the Braves' organization.
Vaughn Grissom doubtful to make the Red Sox 2026 roster while Braves fans are still enjoying a dominant Chris Sale
The veteran lefty Sale has been the ace of Atlanta's staff for the last couple of seasons. At the time, the trade was risky for Atlanta, but the fact that Anthopoulos got Sale and $17 million from Boston remains one of his biggest transactional wins overseeing the Braves.
Boston viewed Grissom as a long-term solution at second base, but it only took 31 games in 2024 for the Red Sox to seek alternate solutions. Grissom spent 2025 toiling away in Triple-A, and eventually voiced his frustration with the organization. Boston has a rich farm system, so they were able to withstand this failure better than most organizations. The writing on the wall was evident last year, and it sounds like Grissom's fate may have already been decided.
Where the former Brave goes from here will be interesting to watch, as Grissom is still just 25 years-old with plenty of time to latch on as a bench piece somewhere. Braves fans may be wondering if that possibility exists in Atlanta, but truthfully Anthopoulos will be focused on improving the roster in more impactful spots early in the offseason. If Grissom becomes available when we get closer to spring training, Anthopoulos could still look to potentially bring him back as a depth piece.
Regardless, the Braves will hopefully continue to enjoy watching Sale excel on the mound. Unfortunately, this is the last year of Sale's contract, so Braves fans will have to remain patient to see if we will be lucky enough to enjoy the fruits of this trade even longer than we already have.