After being sidelined for over two months due to an injury, Boston Red Sox infielder Vaughn Grissom was reinstated from the 10-Day injured list on Thursday and subsequently optioned to Triple-A Worcester. Before his activation, Grissom had been on a rehab assignment with the Worcester Red Sox. Initially entering the 2024 season with a shot at becoming Boston’s starting second baseman, Grissom has faced setbacks due to injuries and performance issues.
Grissom, who was a key part of the trade that sent former Red Sox starter Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves in December, started the year on the injured list with a left hamstring strain. After missing over 30 games, he made his season debut but was sidelined again on June 2 with a right hamstring strain. In his brief stint with Boston, Grissom struggled, hitting just .148 with a .367 OPS over 23 games.
During his rehab assignment, Grissom’s performance remained below expectations, with a slash line of .216/.310/.294 across 13 games. He began his professional career with the Braves, where he reached as high as seventh in their organizational rankings in 2022. After an impressive minor league stint, Grissom debuted in the MLB in August 2022, hitting .291 in 41 games. His performance continued into 2023 with a .280 average, though his OPS dropped significantly. He played only 64 games for Atlanta before being traded to the Red Sox.
In Grissom’s absence, Emmanuel Valdez, David Hamilton, and Romy Gonzalez have shared time at second base for Boston. The position has been a weak spot for the Red Sox in 2024, with a .551 OPS, the lowest on the team. Despite several moves at the trade deadline, Boston did not address the middle infield issue, with the only offensive addition being catcher Danny Jansen from the Toronto Blue Jays.
