After going 4-of-5 in a pivotal series against the Mets and a quiet trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves ace Earned. A sleeve trying to corner the first place.
The Braves are seven games behind the Mets in his NL East, and just three games behind the resurgent Phillies in third place. They were craving a jolt of energy for their lineup. With Adam Duvall and Ozzie Albies currently injured, Atlanta turned to its farm system and called on frontrunner Vaughan Grissom.
Grissom is his 98th-ranked prospect in baseball, batting . Grissom made an immediate impact in the Braves' win over the Reds' Sox on Wednesday night by hitting a two-run homer 11 and off of his Fenway Park 12.
"I didn't feel anything." I didn't feel anything," Grissom said. "I literally hit it and blacked out until I started laughing at the first base coach."
Grissom played second base. The position has been unproductive since Albies went down with a broken leg in June. His home run gave the Braves his 5–1 lead, then a single and a goal that put the finishing touches on an 8–4 win.
"He did it all," Braves manager Brian Snicker said of Grissom. "He did well. There was nothing that surprised him. The power is real."
The 21-year-old was promoted straight from Double-A to the Braves lineup after his This is my second young gun. Former Braves top prospect Michael Harris II was promoted in his May, giving the team immediate productivity. Atlanta wants the same for Grissom.
Grissom talked about his interaction with Harris after the home run. "I feel like I 'got it.'"
The Braves and Mets have another four-game series starting August 15 in Atlanta.