Chris Sale trade looks even worse with Red Sox no longer needing Vaughn Grissom

It made all the sense in the world for the Boston Red Sox to move on from Chris Sale when they did. The former ace of the Chicago White Sox had a miserable last four years with Boston before being moved to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for middle infielder Vaughn Grissom. Atlanta needed a starting pitcher, and Boston wanted out of Sale's contract, as well as a getting a second baseman.

Flash forward to the end of August 2024, and Sale is the presumptive favorite to win the NL Cy Young. Grissom has been hurt for the most part in Boston. In fact, he is now even more replaceable. In Tim Crowley's latest for NESN, it seems as though the heir apparent to starting second baseman role long vacated by an often-injured Dustin Pedroia may not be Grissom after all, but this intriguing prospect.

Crowley argued in favor of former Georgia Tech standout Kristian Campbell. Their former 2023 MLB Draft pick has torn it up at every level of the Red Sox's system, having just recently been promoted to Triple-A. It may be wishful thinking, but perhaps the Red Sox have finally solved their second base dilemma. However, it still doesn't change the fact that they got lapped by Atlanta in the Sale trade.

Alex Anthopoulos almost always knows what he is doing and he certainly robbed Craig Breslow blind.

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Atlanta Braves have arleady won the Chris Sale-Vaughn Grissom trade

Sale is firmly in his mid-30s, but is under contract through the 2025 MLB season with a team option for 2026. Assuming he pitches anywhere close to this next season, and Atlanta will gladly get a third year out of Sale before he hits free agency again. We are talking about a borderline hall of fame pitcher having arguably the best season of his career, playing for the team he grew up rooting for.

While it remains to be seen what becomes of Max Fried in his free agency, Charlie Morton's plans beyond this year and how soon Spencer Strider can return from injury, Atlanta is already in a great spot with its rotation for 2025. Sale and fellow newcomer Reynaldo Lopez could frontline it, with rookie Spencer Schwellenbach getting better with every passing start in the deep Atlanta rotation.

As far as the Red Sox are concerned, they are eventually going to find the second baseman they deserve. Pedroia was a Hall of Very Good player for them, much like one of my favorite players as a kid in former Georgia Tech standout Nomar Garciaparra. If Campbell can be anything close to what Pedroia or Garciaparra were for the Red Sox in their prime, Boston could forget all about Grissom.

However, it probably stings New Englanders to see Sale carving it up playing for the Braves this year.