Red Sox's Vaughn Grissom decision might reveal how they feel about his future

Vaughn Grissom's rehab assignment with the Worcester Red Sox expired on Aug. 8. Instead of activating him to the major league roster, the Boston Red Sox chose to option him back to Triple-A.

The young infielder has struggled to rebound from his multiple injuries and ailments this season, which include two strained hamstrings and a severe bout with the flu that caused him to drop weight quickly. His offensive production during his recent rehab assignment seems to be Boston's main cause for concern.

Grissom slashed .215/.310/.294 with a homer and a double over the 13 games of his rehab stint. The numbers are uncharacteristically low for the 23-year-old, who's a .316/.405/.468 career hitter over 351 games in the minor leagues.

The Red Sox need to see more from Grissom before they can justify bringing him back up to the big leagues. Their situation at second base has been mostly solved — David Hamilton's defense has improved and he's produced offensively and Nick Sogard has been solid all around since he got the call-up on July 31.

Red Sox optioned Vaughn Grissom to Triple-A after his rehab assignment

The team's chemistry has also been palpable all season, especially since the Sox went on their hot streak that lasted from June until the All-Star break. Adding a player who's been on the sidelines for so long followed by a cold stretch at the plate isn't advisable for a team making a playoff run.

Grissom has played just 23 major league games this year and hasn't exactly been an equal return for Chris Sale so far. At 23 years old, Grissom has plenty of time to reverse his offensive slump, but he may not have a spot on the 2024 Red Sox squad.

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