The MLB hot stove has been quiet, but it heated up on Saturday. The Atlanta Braves are acquiring left-hander Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster trade. Sale is waiving his no-trade clause to make this deal happen. Vaughn Grissom is heading to Beantown in return.
Via Jeff Passan:
“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.”
This deal honestly came out of nowhere, but you can also understand why the Red Sox decided to do it. Sale has been a walking Band-aid over the last couple of seasons after Boston signed him to a five-year, $145 million extension in 2019. He's only made 31 starts across the last three years. The Red Sox's patience with the southpaw could've very well been running thin.
For the Braves, it's worth the risk. Sale is a seven-time All-Star who was once one of the most dominant starters in the sport. He finished top-five in AL Cy Young voting for six-straight seasons. Atlanta already possesses a lights-out rotation with Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and Bryce Elder, and they now add Sale. If the veteran can stay healthy, he's going to improve this staff immensely.
But that's the question mark. Will he be on the mound or in the treatment room? Only time will tell.
As for the Red Sox, they get a promising young infielder in Grissom, who is very good with his glove and has also shown the ability to hit at the big-league level with a .795 OPS in 41 games in 2022 but struggled in just 23 games in 2023 with a .659 OPS. He'll turn 23 on Jan. 5.
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