Red Sox Trade Chris Sale To Braves For Top Infield Prospect

The Red Sox continued to make waves in Major League Baseball in the final days of the calendar year.

Boston on Saturday traded Chris Sale and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves for top infield prospect Vaughn Grissom, the team announced. The Red Sox will pay $17 million of Sale’s $27.5 million contract, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

Sale was a dominant force when he arrived in Boston in 2017. He finished second in Cy Young voting his first season with the Red Sox, and the seven-time All-Star was pivotal in the 2018 World Series run, including delivering the final out to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Fall Classic.

The left-hander’s final four years in Boston were mired with injuries, but when healthy, the 34-year-old, who waived his no-trade clause to make Saturday’s deal happen, still is among the game’s best pitchers.

The southpaw was 6-5 with a 4.30 ERA in 102 2/3 innings last season with Boston. Sale was 46-30 with a 3.27 ERA in his six-season career with the Red Sox.

Grissom made his major league debut at Fenway Park on Aug. 22 last season where he delivered his first career home run. The 22-year-old was Atlanta’s No. 1 prospect before his Major League Baseball debut and was part of the Braves young corps, but Ozzie Albies and Orlando Arcia were the primary middle infielders for Atlanta last season.

The infielder spent time at Triple-A Gwinnett and hit eight home runs off a .920 OPS for 61 RBIs in 102 games. Grissom has five home runs and 27 RBIs off a 105 OPS+ in 64career MLB games.

The loss of Sale comes after Boston reportedly signed Lucas Giolito. The Red Sox have been linked to Jordan Montgomery and Blake Snell, and Shōta Imanaga also is a possible option to add to the pitching staff.

Grissom’s addition helps fill Boston’s need for a second baseman to pair with Trevor Story. He has six years of team control, so he will have time to develop with Alex Cora and his staff.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made multiple trades this offseason, including sending Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees, and the pair of deals in the final days of the calendar year show more might be in store.