Vaughn Grissom was expected to play a significant role for the Boston Red Sox this season following his acquisition from the Atlanta Braves in the Chris Sale trade during the offseason. However, things haven’t gone as planned for the infielder.
Grissom’s season, plagued by hamstring injuries, faced another setback on Thursday. With his rehab assignment in the minor leagues completed, the Red Sox decided to reinstate him and option him to Triple-A Worcester.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora elaborated on the decision, explaining why the team opted for this course of action with the 23-year-old.
“We’ve been discussing this for weeks. We’re trying to help him reach his potential and there’s a plan in place,” Cora said before Friday’s game against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park. “He’s understandably disappointed not to be part of the team right now, but he’s making progress in various areas—offensively, defensively, and physically. He’s had a tough time with injuries during the offseason and spring training.
“So, we need to be patient. He’s going to be an important part of our future plans, so it’s crucial for him to continue developing and we’ll see what happens next.”
Grissom has played only 23 games—mostly in May—during his rookie season with the Red Sox and struggled to make an impact, hitting just .148 (12-for-81) with no home runs and three RBIs.
The Red Sox had high hopes for Grissom when they acquired him, especially given his impressive debut with the Braves in 2022, which included a home run at Fenway in his MLB debut. That year, Grissom batted .291 with five home runs, 18 RBIs, and five stolen bases in 41 games with Atlanta.
Now, with Grissom hitting .259 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 22 games with Worcester, the Red Sox hope he can regain his form in Triple-A before making a return to the majors.
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