Boston Red Sox fans received some surprising news on Wednesday when it was revealed that Alex Bregman will be taking some time off for some good news. The star third baseman was placed on the MLB's paternity list Wednesday before returning to Boston for the birth of his second child,
Any player on paternity leave will miss between one and three games, meaning the Red Sox needed a fill-in during Bregman's absence. The open roster spot resulted in the club promoting infielder Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester, which is a move that Boston shouldn't have made.
After all, another minor-leaguer was more than deserving of an early-season promotion.
Red Sox Should've Promoted Vaughn Grissom to Replace Alex Bregman
Although Sogard was solid with the Red Sox in 2024, his current minor-league performance doesn't warrant a call-up. The former Tampa Bay Rays 12th-round pick is only slashing .159/.275/.205 with four RBIs and 13 strikeouts across 12 games (44 at-bats) with Worcester, making his promotion somewhat confusing.
The Red Sox's decision to reward Sogard's poor play is even more surprising when compared to what Triple-A teammate Vaughn Grissom is doing.
After a forgettable 2024 MLB performance, Grissom is back in the Boston fanbase's good graces. The versatile infielder is batting .340 with an impressive .920 across his first 50 ABs, recording three doubles, two home runs, nine RBIs, and five walks. It's the type of performance the Red Sox envisioned Grissom having when he was acquired from the Atlanta Braves in last offseason's Chris Sale trade.
Vaughn Grissom demolished this baseball for a two-run home run.
— Hunter Noll (@Hunter_Noll) April 9, 2025
His second homer of the season in Triple-A. pic.twitter.com/tPBOwQI4rj
It also isn't as if Grissom doesn't have third-base experience. Even though he didn't spend any time at the hot corner with the Red Sox last year, the Orlando, FL native has played 244 minor-league innings at third base, which includes nine this season.
Although the lack of a call-up is disappointing, the Red Sox could be playing the long game with Grissom. The club might be waiting for a long-term opportunity to pop up before promoting the 6-foot-3 infielder, whereas Bregman's brief absence is more of a suitable time frame for Boston to see what a bubble player like Sogard has left in the tank.
Hopefully, Sogard finds a way to prove his doubters wrong. Otherwise, the Red Sox will look even more foolish to promote him over Grissom in the first place.