Alex Cora explains why Red Sox infielder remains in Triple-A after return from IL

The Boston Red Sox have been playing solid baseball this year despite the fact that one of their big offseason acquisitions, infielder Vaughn Grissom, hasn't seen the field much.

Due to injuries and illnesses, Grissom has appeared in just 23 games (hitting just .148) for Boston since they traded Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves for his services.

Last week, Grissom was activated from the injured list, but instead of bringing him back up to the major league roster, the Red Sox kept him with Triple-A Worcester.

After the decision was made, Red Sox manager Alex Cora explained the decision.

“We’ve been talking about it for weeks,” Cora said (via. MassLive ). “We’re trying to get this guy to who he is. There’s a program in place. Obviously, he was disappointed he’s not going to be part of this right now but I think he’s making strides offensively, defensively, running and getting stronger. We all talk about his offseason and spring training. He has been hurt most of the year. So let’s be patient here.”

For now, Boston will rely on David Hamilton, Nick Sogard, Enmanuel Valdez and Romy Gonzalez to split time at second base. But, that doesn't mean Grissom won't be back at some point.

“He’s going to be a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish now and in the future, so this is a good time to keep playing, keep building up and we’ll see what the future holds,” Cora said.

So far, Altanta has won that trade in a landslide, but Grissom's still just 23 years old and if he gets consistent playing time in Triple-A for a while, he may be able to be an impact player for Boston in the near future.