Former Braves trade asset makes Alex Anthopoulos weary with one swing

Chris Sale is off to a solid start with the Atlanta Braves, winning four games with an ERA of 3.44. The team's recent offensive slump has little to do with the pitching staff, which has excelled minus a few tough starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Braves had the best offense in baseball last season. In fact, they hit the most team home runs in MLB history. Atlanta had a surplus of offensive supply, so the front office opted to deal away some of that surplus for pitching help.

Frankly, that ideology made sense, as the Braves lack of pitching depth played a major role in their eventual downfall in 2023. Max Fried and Kyle Wright were injured last season, and failed to fully recover until it was too late. So, when Alex Anthopoulos traded away Vaughn Grissom in a package for Red Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale, it was praised as the answer to Atlanta's problems.

Then, the season started. Rough starts by Matt Olson, Austin Riley and even Ronald Acuña Jr. have Braves fans questioning their very existence. While it's a long season, Grissom's first game in Red Sox colors isn't making matters any easier.

Did the Atlanta Braves give up on Vaughn Grissom too soon?

It's tough to blame the Braves for trading Grissom, as they provided him with ample opportunity to learn a position which fit their system. When Grissom was given the chance to earn the starting shortstop job, he failed to do so, eventually surrendering the position to Orlando Arcia. Arcia was an NL All-Star last season. While there were rumblings of Grissom playing the outfield or serving as a part-time designated hitter, those never really materialized.

Shortstop was Grissom's best chance to start. Defensively, he leaves a lot to be desired, even after spending an offseason working out with now-Angels manager Ron Washington.

Watching Grissom succeed in Boston won't help Braves fans who are in a tough spot right now. Yet, it's important to keep things in perspective. Grissom was never going to work in Atlanta. In Boston, he will play second base, a position manned by Ozzie Albies in the ATL. He was also injured until early May.

Eventually the trade made by Anthopoulos will go down as a win-win at worst for the Braves. They are too talented not to succeed offensively over the course of a 162-game season.

For now, it's frustrating.