The Braves keep on making moves.
Atlanta on Saturday acquired Chris Sale and cash considerations from the Red Sox in exchange for infielder Vaughn Grissom, the team announced.
The seven-time All-Star waived his no-trade clause to make the deal happen, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported.
When Sale has been healthy, he’s been among baseball’s best pitchers, getting Cy Young votes in seven separate seasons.
His best year arguably came in 2017 when he led the American League with 308 strikeouts and 214 1/3 innings, finishing second in the Cy Young voting.
But over the past few seasons, injuries have hampered the one-time workhorse, and he pitched in just 31 games over the last three years.
In 2023 with Boston, the southpaw had a 4.30 ERA with 120 strikeouts over 20 starts.
Sale, who had Tommy John surgery in 2020, is owed $27,500,000 in 2024 and has a club option for 2025.
Boston is paying $17 million of Sale’s salary, according to the Boston Globe.
“We like him when he’s out on the mound. We love the makeup, the person, and what he brings to the clubhouse,” Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said of Sale, per the Glove. “We think he’s a playoff-caliber starter and that’s what we were in the market for.”
Grissom, a one-time top prospect of the Braves who will be turning 23 on Jan. 5, has hit well in limited major league appearances.
In 64 games over the last two years, the shortstop has a .287/.339/.407 slash line.
However, defensively, there have been questions if he can stick on the infield as he rates negatively in outs above average, per Baseball Savant.
“You’re not going to find a better human being [than Grissom],” Anthopoulos said, per MLB.com.
“The makeup is as good as it gets. He’s a high-energy guy who makes people around him better.”