I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think Vaughn Grissom is going to have a better 2024 season in Boston than Chris Sale in Atlanta. He will do it cheaply and in the long term, surely.
But still, I like the trade better for the Braves. For what?
Because the Red Sox needed a starting pitcher and they traded away the best one they had. The Braves didn't need an infielder.
Sale fills a big need in Atlanta, which is giving itself the means to achieve its ambitions. It's not the same song on the Boston side, unfortunately for the fans.
Alex Anthopoulos has so much confidence in Sale that he has decided to guarantee him one more year of contract, starting immediately.
Instead of having a contract for 2024 and a club option for 2025, he has a contract for 2024 and 2025 as well as a club option for 2026.
The president of the Braves said this morning on the radio that he did this because the more he talked with his team, the more he realized that he was going to take the option in the pitcher's contract.
So he did it now to ensure he kept his services, but also to send a message to everyone: Sale is here to stay.
On the air, the Quebecer compared his impact to that of Charlie Morton, another veteran who brings leadership to rotation.
The two together will help/support the young people, who now know that Sale will not just be passing through town.
It was important for the club in Anthopoulos' eyes.
Sale won't have the pressure of being the #1 pitcher and I think that will do him good. However, his contribution will not be any less important.
