Braves Acquire SP Chris Sale From Red Sox

The lefty has one year and a club option left on his contract.

The Atlanta Braves are acquiring starting pitcher Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox for infield prospect Vaughn Grissom, the team announced Saturday. Boston is also sending Atlanta money back as part of the deal.

Sale is a former seven-time All-Star pitcher who has struggled to stay healthy lately, appearing in just 31 games since 2019. He started 20 games for the Red Sox in 2023, his most since ’19, and accumulated a 4.30 ERA in 102 2/3 innings. Sale ends his Red Sox career as a key part to the team’s 2018 World Series championship team.

The lefty has one year and over $27 million left on his contract that also includes a $20 million club option for 2025. Sale also has a no-trade clause, which he waved for this transaction to go through.

The Red Sox will pay $17 million of Sale’s $27 million contract this season, according to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. 

Starter Chris Sale is being traded from the Red Sox to the Braves :: David Butler II/USA Today network

Grissom is a 22-year-old prospect who’s played in 64 games over the past two seasons, totaling five home runs and a .746 OPS. He was supposed to replace Dansby Swanson at shortstop in Atlanta last year but struggled in spring training and lost the competition to Orlando Arcia.