Braves Vaughn Grissom trade could come back to haunt them after latest injury update

We are only three starts into the Chris Sale era, and the Atlanta Braves may already be feeling buyer's remorse, especially considering they parted ways with an intriguing young prospect in the form of infielder Vaughn Grissom.

Grissom has yet to make his 2024 MLB debut since the Braves traded him to the Boston Red Sox this past offseason for Sale due to a nagging left hamstring strain that has kept him sidelined since the early portion of spring training. But he is progressing towards a return to action and catching the eye of many within the clubhouse, including manager Alex Cora, who has been unable to contain his excitement about welcoming the talented shortstop to the lineup.

Latest Vaughn Grissom update could spell trouble for Atlanta Braves

After beginning his rehab assignment with Boston's Triple-A affiliate this past Friday, Cora only had good things to say about Grissom and what he demonstrated, even though he went 0-for-3 from the plate in a designated hitter role.

"He brought energy down there," Cora said, per Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. "We're excited that he's finally able to play."

The Red Sox can benefit from an infusion of dynamism in their batting order, which Cora believes Grissom can supply, and his two-year stint with the Braves in the majors from 2022-23 reflects that. He hit five home runs and drove in 27 RBIs, adding three stolen bases with a .287/.339/.407 slash line across 236 career big league plate appearances thus far.

Not only does Grissom provide a live bat, but he also projects to be Boston's everyday second baseman, as Starr points out before mentioning that shortstop "is an option" for him.

Cora's eagerness to integrate Grissom into the mix, combined with the early-season struggles of Sale, have put the Braves in a position where they may regret their decision to move off the 23-year-old infielder.

However, Grissom still has ways to go in his recovery process because of the lack of reps he got throughout the offseason, which Cora highlighted. "He's gonna need a lot," the latter noted. So he must clear that hurdle before concluding who won and lost the Braves and Red Sox trade that sent Sale to Atlanta.

The main reason why the Braves might regret such a trade is that their own starting second baseman, Ozzie Albies, is set to miss some time thanks to a fractured big toe. Grissom was comfortable enough at second base, but instead Atlanta is forced to go with David Fletcher.

Given the injury to Spencer Strider, the Braves are happy Sale is readily available. They should not regret such a trade, at least not yet.