When the Braves report to Florida for spring training in February, their starting rotation will feature a new southpaw. According to a report from ESPN insider Jeff Passan, the club is acquiring veteran left-hander Chris Sale from the Red Sox in exchange for top infield prospect Vaughn Grissom. Sale, slated to make $27.5 million in 2024, reportedly waived his no-trade clause in order to finalize the trade.
While the 34-year-old Sale is a shell of his former All-Star self due to injuries in recent years, he posted a 4.30 ERA over 102.2 innings (20 starts) in 2023 with 125 strikeouts and a 4.31 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also threw just 48.1 innings from 2020-2022, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and later hurt a rib and his left pinky finger in 2022. Sale's contract carries a club option for the 2025 campaign, which the Braves can pick up for $20 million.
Atlanta is parting ways with the highly-regarded Grissom, who was essentially blocked from the big-league roster in 2023. With no clear path, he likely joins Boston as a candidate to start at second base. Grissom, who turns 23 in early January, has slashed an impressive .287/.339/.407 with five home runs, nine doubles, and 27 RBI across 236 major-league plate appearances.