Boston Red Sox Trade Infielder Vaughn Grissom to Los Angeles Angels

[Jordan Leandre]

On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox pulled the plug on the Vaughn Grissom era, trading him to the Los Angeles Angels, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The return for Grissom is outfielder Isaiah Jackson, whom the Angels drafted in the eighth round this past summer. Jackson spent three seasons at Arizona State University. In his final year for the Sun Devils, Jackson hit .310 with 18 home runs and 14 stolen bases, but his calling card is his defense.

The move clears a 40-man spot for the Red Sox, with the Rule 5 Draft scheduled for Wednesday. 

Grissom showed flashes of the player Boston coveted when it dealt 2024 National League Cy Young winner Chris Sale to Atlanta, but ultimately fell out of favor fast.

In two seasons, he played just 31 big-league games, slashing .190/.246/.219 with a 30 wRC+ and -0.7 fWAR. He was a fine ballplayer in Triple-A Worcester, hitting 19 homers in 151 games, but simply didn't do enough to win himself an opportunity at any point in 2025.

With the Red Sox scouring the market for infield help, even reportedly exchanging names with the Arizona Diamondbacks for Ketel Marte, there was seemingly no chance for the 24-year-old to ever wear a Red Sox uniform again barring something extreme.

They tried moving him around the infield in 2025, even giving him 12 games at first base. Ultimately, the team felt the contingent of Abraham Toro, Nick Sogard, Romy Gonzalez, and Nathaniel Lowe gave them a better chance to win games in 2025. With, at the very least, Triston Casas slated to return from a ruptured patellar tendon at some point in 2026, opportunities were growing scarce. Grissom will try to revive his career in Los Angeles from here on out.

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[vjcsmoke]

Grissom was a disappointment. We didn't get much out of the Chris Sale trade did we? It seems we often get fleeced when giving away our veteran players.

At least the guy they got back in return, Jackson, has power potential. But guess what he's left handed and an outfielder and we currently have a logjam in the outfield. He will be blocked from progression even if he tears it up for the PawSox unless we end up trading one or more of Abreu/Duran.

[Larry Cook]

Na, Na, Na, Na…… Na, Na,Na,Na.  

[a700hitter]

Close the book on the horrible Chris Sale trade.

[Hugh2]

1 hour ago, vjcsmoke said:

Grissom was a disappointment. We didn't get much out of the Chris Sale trade did we? It seems we often get fleeced when giving away our veteran players.

At least the guy they got back in return, Jackson, has power potential. But guess what he's left handed and an outfielder and we currently have a logjam in the outfield. He will be blocked from progression even if he tears it up for the PawSox unless we end up trading one or more of Abreu/Duran.

He was a 2025 draftee who has 32 at bats in a ball.  He’s not starting in AAA and we don’t have to worry about him with any log jam in the outfield for a few years.  

interesting move though, Sox drafting all pitchers now and trading for position players just drafted

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, vjcsmoke said:

Grissom was a disappointment. We didn't get much out of the Chris Sale trade did we? It seems we often get fleeced when giving away our veteran players.

At least the guy they got back in return, Jackson, has power potential. But guess what he's left handed and an outfielder and we currently have a logjam in the outfield. He will be blocked from progression even if he tears it up for the PawSox unless we end up trading one or more of Abreu/Duran.

You can choose to pick the best FA signing in hindsight, and say the Sale money saved helped pay for part of O'Neill's and then Chapman's deal. Or, you can say it helped JH be convinced to spend on Giolito (meh.) Or, we used the money to pay for JH's yacht crew.

[Hitch]

10 hours ago, Hugh2 said:

He was a 2025 draftee who has 32 at bats in a ball.  He’s not starting in AAA and we don’t have to worry about him with any log jam in the outfield for a few years.  

interesting move though, Sox drafting all pitchers now and trading for position players just drafted

Which makes sense. The infield and outfield is about to be locked down for a fairly significant amount of time it appears. Start loading up on guys that will be coming 2, 3, and 4 years down the line. 

[Hugh2]

I'm stealing the spirit of this comment from another commentor in another online forum. 

The Sox received Isaiah Jackson for Vaughn Grissom

The Sox received Vaugn Grissom for Chris Sale

The Sox received Chris sale for Michael Kopech

Michael Kopech was drafted with compensation pick received from losing Jacoby Ellsbury

Jacoby Ellsbury was drafted with the compensation pick received from losing Orlando Cabrera

Orlanda Cabrera was received from trading away Nomar Garciaparra.

The return from Nomar lives on!!!!!!!

 

[Hugh2]

On 12/10/2025 at 4:48 AM, Hitch said:

Which makes sense. The infield and outfield is about to be locked down for a fairly significant amount of time it appears. Start loading up on guys that will be coming 2, 3, and 4 years down the line. 

Even college guys who breeze thru the minors typically need a full season of development, putting his ETA at 2027.  But that's usually top of the draft elite ready talent.  If he hits, he probably still needs 2-3 years to cook min. 

Lets also never forgot.  You can trade guys.  If you knew your outfield was set for the next 10 years, and you knew a prospect was going to be stud you'd still draft him 100% of the time because you can always trade guys.  If you see something in a guy, you like him, and you think you can develop him you are NEVER looking at current needs of the big league team when making most trades. 

[Behindenemylines]

On 12/9/2025 at 6:27 PM, a700hitter said:

Close the book on the horrible Chris Sale trade.

Agree, Sale trade did not work out for the Sox. With his injury plagued final seasons in Boston who could have predicted his first season in Atlanta. 

[moonslav59]

20 minutes ago, Behindenemylines said:

Agree, Sale trade did not work out for the Sox. With his injury plagued final seasons in Boston who could have predicted his first season in Atlanta. 

Sale also missed the ends of 2024 and 2025 with ATL, too.

Still, Grissom was a total bust.