“Some people watch the game, some people go on the computer,” said Vaughn Grissom. The Boston Red Sox acquired him from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for Chris Sale in December 2023. But their expectation of him becoming the centerpiece didn’t pan out. And after one season filled with injury and limited opportunities, the former top prospect fell out of their plans. He was eventually traded to the Los Angeles Angels last year. And Grissom has been more productive ever since. The 25-year-old broke his silence after months, explaining why it didn’t work in Boston.
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“I think I would probably attribute that to the computer, you know what I mean?” Grissom revealed to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald.
“You have to watch the game, and I think I’m damn near the same player. It’s just the opportunity. These people believe in me, and in Boston there was no belief in the player.
“It is what it is, some people watch the game, some people go on the computer.”
Vaughn Grissom made his major league debut with the Braves in 2022. He had limited appearances (41 and 23 games) in his first two years. But he was hitting at .291 and .280 during that time. And it was good enough for the Red Sox to give up Chris Sale in December 2023. Some reports suggest that Boston was unwilling to carry on with Sale’s 5-year, $145 million contract.
Regardless, they wanted Grissom to play a key role in their lineup. However, he suffered multiple disruptions in 2024 due to groin strain, hamstring injury, and weight loss. Then Grissom spent the entire 2025 in Triple-A Worcester. His numbers improved to .270/.342/.441 before a plantar fasciitis issue ended his season. Boston eventually traded him to the Angels last December.
He has had 79 appearances in the major league so far. And Vaughn Grissom is batting at .250 with a .697 OPS.
“Maybe I don’t look the best on paper, but you watch enough, and you see what the player is bringing,” the youngster said.
He was actually referring to Boston and Craig Breslow’s overdependence on analytics. And this is not a fresh debate. The same noise has been there for some time.
And Grissom couldn’t find enough opportunities even when the Red Sox’s infield was struggling through multiple injuries in 2025. Players like Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela, among others, were infield options before him.
Even though the Angels are one of the worst teams in MLB this season, Grissom has been one of its bright spots. The second baseman has recorded 47 RBIs, 7 home runs and 21 walks.
However, these numbers don’t necessarily prove that the Boston Red Sox were wrong. His poor offensive numbers and defensive concerns make that distinction apparent. While the debate continues, Vaughn Grissom will aim to improve his performance to make stronger cases in the future.