But that still wasn’t enough, as he was optioned to Triple A Worcester on Wednesday.
“When you get demoted, or let go on your job, it’s not easy,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora Thursday afternoon. “It’s not [a conversation] that you’re looking forward to. He did everything possible in the offseason. He killed it. He turned the double play well [when he got here]. There are a few things that we talked about that I think he can do better defensively, but just go down there and do your thing as a player.”
When Grissom was traded for Chris Sale before last season, he was expected to be the team’s starting second baseman, stabilizing a position that has been a revolving door since the days of Dustin Pedroia. However, injuries set back Grissom, prompting Cora to call 2024 “a mulligan.” But the rise of Kristian Campbell and, before his injury, Marcelo Mayer, pushed Grissom down the depth chart.
The Red Sox gave Grissom a chance this spring to seize the second base job, but after an underwhelming camp, it was clear he wasn’t ready for the big stage.
They could opt for a platoon at second, using David Hamilton and Romy Gonzalez, or they might turn to Campbell or Mayer as the Opening Day starter.
Whoever doesn’t make the major league roster likely will get the first shot at second base in Triple A Worcester, pushing Grissom further out of the conversation and making a trade a potential option.
“He just needs to go down there and kill it,” said Cora. “Be selfish. Do your thing, you know? Show everybody that you can be a big leaguer and not only with us, right? I think in the industry. Show them that you’re still young. You’re still a good athlete and just go right. But this is the route we are going. We haven’t yet made a decision about second base, whatever, but we’re getting close, and he’s not a part of the equation.”
Sean Newcomb took the ball at Hammond Stadium Thursday night against the Twins, going 4⅔ innings, yielding one run, four hits, and striking out three. The run was unearned. Newcomb, who is vying for the fifth spot in the rotation, generated just one swing and miss, but, overall, was pleased with his outing.
“Coming into today, I had a little bit of everything working,” said Newcomb. “The players were swinging aggressively so I just used that to my advantage.”
Newcomb will make one more exhibition appearance when the Sox play in Mexico next week.
With injuries to Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello, Newcomb could claim the fourth or fifth spot in the rotation. The lefthander feels as though he has left an impression.
“I feel like I’ve done everything I can to pu my name in there for a slot and everything,” he said. “It feels good to have a full spring and get pitching again. That’s all that really matters to me.”
Guerrero doesn’t make the cut
Righthander Luis Guerrero also was cut Wednesday. Though he has great stuff, hitting up to 98 miles per hour out of the bullpen, he had issues locating this spring.
“He was erratic,” said Cora. “He didn’t throw too many strikes, and he walked a lot of guys. He was behind the count.
“You got to get him going. The last outing in Bradenton, he was all over the place. He knows it. The good thing about him is he didn’t get upset. He’s like, ‘I got to keep working. I got to keep working. I’ll be back.’ ”
Rafael Devers was not in the lineup. He took at-bats off the machine at Fenway South … Gonzalez (oblique) took swing. Cora is confident he will be ready for Opening Day and likely will make the trip to Mexico.
Julian McWilliams can be reached at julian.mcwilliams@globe.com. Follow him @byJulianMack.
