when the Boston Red Sox traded ace Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves for top infield prospect Vaughn Grissom, the seven-time All-Star admitted he signed off on the move because of his family.
Appearing on Audacy’s “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast with Rob Bradford, Sale explained what factored into his decision.
“I get off the phone with (the Red Sox) and was like, ‘Thanks, appreciate the call.’ Then the work starts,” Sale told Bradford. “I talked to my wife. I talked to my kids. I called my dad. I called my agent. Just trying to figure out what the deal is and what’s going to work. Just logistical stuff.
“But on the flip side of that, let’s be honest, where I’m at in my career and in my life, I can’t go out to Arizona for spring training. That’s too far away. I can still pick up my kids from school. I have not missed a practice. I have not missed a game. I can still live my life while being part of this team in spring training. That was probably the most important thing. One hundred percent.”
“My kids play sports. They’ve got school stuff going on. Being able to be there for that, having that for so long,” Sale said. “I did that for seven years, even in the offseason. I would drive up to JetBlue Park every day, and I would be home at noon. It was important for me to stay here in Florida. The Braves, it’s an hour longer drive, whatever. No big deal.
