The Boston Red Sox aim to improve on their 81-81 record from last season. While they’ve revamped their pitching rotation, manager Alex Cora will also need more production from his position players.
One key move was signing Alex Bregman to solidify second base, bolstering the team’s push for a World Series run. However, his double-play partner must also step up.
Trevor Story has battled significant injuries in his first three years with Boston, but even when healthy, his performance has fallen short. He has yet to post an OPS above .740 and has struck out at least 31% of the time each season. Considering his six-year, $140 million contract, those numbers are underwhelming.
Story’s top priority must be staying healthy. Over the past three seasons, he has logged just 609 at-bats—only 94 in 2024—compared to 526 in 2021 alone. If he’s not on the field, he can’t contribute, let alone perform at a high level.
Despite his injuries, Story has accumulated 4.0 bWAR across the 163 games he has played over the last three seasons, largely due to his defensive impact. If his bat improves, his value will rise even further.
With top prospect Marcelo Mayer emerging as Boston’s shortstop of the future, Story has added motivation to stay healthy. Mayer has impressed in spring training, and Story may be feeling the pressure to hold onto his starting role. This season could be a make-or-break moment for him in Boston.
His contract includes an opt-out after the 2025 season, and if he loses his spot at shortstop, it could push him toward exercising that option.
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