During spring training, Rigney made plans to move Dark to third base and make Bressoud the starting shortstop.

[2][3] Dark was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on June 14, and Bressoud was immediately recalled to take his place.

Bressoud was the first selection of the Houston Colt .45s in the 1961 expansion draft in October,[4] then was traded to the Red Sox in exchange for their regular shortstop, Don Buddin, in November 1961.

In 1964, Bressoud was named to the American League roster for the 1964 MLB All-Star Game as an injury replacement for Luis Aparicio.

[2] After the 1965 season, the Red Sox traded Bressoud to the New York Mets for Joe Christopher.

[7] The Mets traded Bressoud, Danny Napoleon, and cash to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jerry Buchek, Art Mahaffey and Tony Martínez on April 1, 1967.