It was entirely reasonable for the Boston Red Sox to part ways with Chris Sale when they did. Sale, who had been a standout ace for the Chicago White Sox, struggled significantly during his final four years with Boston. The Red Sox traded him to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for middle infielder Vaughn Grissom. Atlanta needed a starting pitcher, and Boston wanted to move on from Sale’s contract and acquire a second baseman.
Fast forward to late August 2024, and Sale is now a leading contender for the NL Cy Young Award. Meanwhile, Grissom has been sidelined with injuries for most of his time in Boston and has become increasingly dispensable. According to Tim Crowley in NESN, it seems the potential replacement for the long-vacant second base position, once held by the often-injured Dustin Pedroia, might not be Grissom but an intriguing prospect instead.
Crowley advocates for Kristian Campbell, a former standout at Georgia Tech and a 2023 MLB Draft pick. Campbell has excelled at every level of the Red Sox’s system and was recently promoted to Triple-A. While it may be optimistic, the Red Sox could have finally found a solution for their second base issue. However, this does not change the fact that the Braves appear to have won the Sale trade decisively.
Alex Anthopoulos, known for his sharp decision-making, seems to have outmaneuvered Craig Breslow in this deal. The Braves have already reaped the benefits of the trade, with Sale, now in his mid-30s but under contract through the 2025 season with a team option for 2026, potentially offering another strong year. Sale is having what might be the best season of his career while playing for the team he grew up supporting.
With uncertainties surrounding Max Fried’s free agency, Charlie Morton’s future, and Spencer Strider’s injury recovery, the Braves are in a strong position for their 2025 rotation. Sale and newcomer Reynaldo Lopez could lead the rotation, with rookie Spencer Schwellenbach continuing to improve.
The Red Sox are likely to eventually find a suitable second baseman. If Kristian Campbell can match the impact of former stars like Pedroia or Nomar Garciaparra, Boston might soon forget about Grissom.
In a recent game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora brought in veteran lefty Rich Hill from the bullpen in the fifth inning, replacing Cooper Criswell, who had pitched four perfect innings. Hill immediately allowed a walk and a two-run home run, erasing Boston’s 1-0 lead.
Cora explained the decision post-game:
“That’s how we planned it,” Cora said (via MassLive). “They had a lot of left-handed hitters. Criswell did his part, and we went with Rich in that situation. We had a big group of lefties coming up. It was just a right-handed hitter who got us.”
Cora, known for his effective use of analytics and matchups, admitted that this strategy didn’t pay off, contributing to a crucial loss that Boston couldn’t afford.
