6 Red Sox on Thin Ice After Missing Postseason 3rd Year in a Row
By Ryan Bunton
4. Vaughn Grissom
When the Red Sox shipped Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves just ahead of the new year, second baseman prospect Vaughn Grissom was sent back in exchange for the eight-time All-Star.
In his first season with the Red Sox, Grissom struggled to get onto the field. He missed the beginning of the season with a groin injury and was placed on the injured list again and didn't play another big league game until Sept. 20. In total, Grissom only appeared in 31 games for Boston in his first year with the organization.
When on the field, the 23-year-old only hit .190/.246/.219 with no home runs and six RBI, while striking out nearly once every four at-bats.
Unfairly or not, expectations for Grissom are higher given Sale's sensational resurgent season in Atlanta. The southpaw is the odds-on favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award after an 18-3 season with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts.
Hopefully, Grissom benefits from a fresh start in 2025 and is able to be at full health. The Red Sox are going to need more than what he gave them in 2024.