{"id":91747,"date":"2025-12-12T11:27:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T11:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/91747\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T11:27:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T11:27:44","slug":"grissom-happy-for-fresh-start-with-angels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/91747\/","title":{"rendered":"Grissom happy for fresh start with Angels"},"content":{"rendered":"

ORLANDO \u2014 A day after being traded by the Red Sox, central Florida native Vaughn Grissom<\/a> popped over to the Waldorf Astoria hotel on Wednesday to meet with his new Angels bosses, excited about the next stage of his career after a false start of sorts in Boston.<\/p>\n

The final day of MLB\u2019s Winter Meetings was the first day of Grissom\u2019s fresh start.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs much as I wanted it to work out in Boston, it just wasn\u2019t the reality. And I\u2019m happy for my opportunity with the Angels,\u201d he said. \u201cI learned a lot, which was cool. I learned a lot about myself. But I\u2019m definitely happy to be on my way to the Angels.\u201d<\/p>\n

He arrived prior to the 2024 season as the Red Sox\u2019 return from the Braves for trading Chris Sale<\/a>, who went on to win the NL Cy Young Award that year. After two seasons and 114 major league plate appearances \u2014 none this past season \u2014 the Sox shipped Grissom west for minor league outfielder Isaiah Jackson.<\/p>\n

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With the Angels, Grissom is reunited with general manager Perry Minasian, who was a high-ranking Braves executive when they drafted him in the first round in 2019.<\/p>\n

Grissom, who turns 25 next month, hit .270\/.342\/.441 and played all four infield spots with Triple A Worcester last season. He missed the final month-plus because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, which he said is \u201cturning the corner\u201d and has him confident he\u2019ll be ready for the start of spring training.<\/p>\n

Grissom described moving on as \u201cbittersweet.\u201d<\/p>\n

What did he learn in his time with the Red Sox?<\/p>\n

\u201cWho I am as a player, who I think I need to be to be successful,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s easy to lose yourself in this game, and everyone\u2019s asking for all these different things to do. So just find yourself and stick to what works for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sox acquire reliever Watson<\/p>\n

The Red Sox acquired righthanded reliever Ryan Watson from the Athletics for minor league infielder Justin Riemer.<\/p>\n

Since the Athletics had just taken Watson from the Giants in the Rule 5 draft, the same restrictions will be in place for the Red Sox: Watson will need to be on the active roster (or injured list) for all of 2026, or else they will need to offer him back to the Giants.<\/p>\n

Watson, 28, had a 4.26 ERA \u2014 and 64 strikeouts in 50\u2154 innings \u2014 in Triple A last season.<\/p>\n

\u201cActually tried to acquire him a couple times during the course of the season,\u201d chief baseball officer Craig Breslow <\/a>said. \u201cBig guy with good extension and good strike throwing ability that should translate to success in the big leagues.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also in the Rule 5 draft, the White Sox selected righthander Jedixson Paez from the Red Sox.<\/p>\n

Breslow reiterated that the Red Sox view Patrick Sandoval<\/a>, who did not pitch last year because of his recovery from Tommy John surgery, as a starter . . . The Sox are due to pick 20th in the draft in July . . . Breslow on Jordan Hicks<\/a>: \u201cWe\u2019ll continue to try to give him some consistency as a reliever, and get the best version out of him. The stuff has never been a question. And we\u2019ve seen glimpses of it as recently as last year, and hopefully just having some certainty and stability in the role coming into spring training will be helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tim Healey can be reached at timothy.healey@globe.com<\/a>. Follow him @timbhealey<\/a>.<\/p>\n