The Boston Red Sox could use an extra lift to get over the hump, as they're 1.5 games out of the AL's last wild card spot as of Friday evening. However, Vaughn Grissom is unlikely to be their savior this season.
The 23-year-old infielder is staying in triple-A despite finishing his hamstring rehab, via Mass Live's Chris Costillo.
“For Grissom, who has been limited by injuries to just 45 games all season (23 in the majors and 22 in the minors), Thursday marked a deadline for the Sox to make a decision,” Costillo explained. “Because he had been on a rehab assignment for 20 days, the Red Sox had to reinstate him from the injured list. They did so, but used a minor league option to keep him in Worcester. The organization simply wanted to keep Grissom playing in Worcester, where playing time is easier to come by with the way the big league roster is currently constructed.”
Grissom could use the extra development, as he's slashing just .148/.207/160 with no homers and three RBI in the big leagues this year. The former Atlanta Brave has been more respectable in triple-A, slashing .259/.362/.333 with one homer and 10 RBI.
How long will it take for Grissom to become a consistent starter at the MLB level?
Vaughn Grissom still has potential with the Red Sox
Grissom has shown promise in the big leagues before. The 2019 11th-round pick hit .286 with five homers and 27 RBI in 64 games with the Braves before getting shipped to Boston as a part of the Chris Sale trade this past summer.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora does not doubt that Grissom's tenure with the team will work out, via NESN's Greg Dudek.
“We've been talking about it for weeks. We're trying to get this guy to who he is and there's a program in place,” Cora said on Friday. “Obviously, he was disappointed that he's not going to be part of this right now. But I think he's making strides, offensively, defensively, running, getting stronger. We all talk about his offseason and spring training and he's been hurt most of the time.”
Grissom still has time on his side, so there's no reason to throw him to the wolves if he's not ready yet.
“So, let's be patient here. He's going to be a big part of what we're trying to accomplish now and in the future,” Cora continued. “So, it's a good time for him to keep playing, keep building up and we'll see what the future holds.”
While it would have been nice for Boston to get immediate value in return for Sale, Grissom deserves a fully healthy season before getting criticized for his struggles.
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