The Boston Red Sox believed they had secured their long-term second baseman when they signed Trevor Story to a six-year, $140 million deal before the 2022 season. However, his tenure in Boston has been significantly impacted by injuries:
- In 2022, he missed 68 games due to a hairline fracture in his right wrist and a bruised left heel.
- In 2023, he was sidelined for 119 games after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
- In 2024, he missed 136 games because of a fractured left shoulder.
Now finally healthy in 2025, Story has played in 51 of the team’s first 56 games, but he’s struggled offensively, posting a .589 OPS, a 65 OPS+, six home runs, and a -0.1 bWAR. Since April 22, he’s batting just .133 (15-for-105) with only two extra-base hits — a double and a home run — over his last 26 games.
His advanced metrics underline those issues. Baseball Savant reports his bat speed is in the 30th percentile (70.7), average exit velocity in the 44th (89.6 mph), expected batting average in the 20th (.234), and expected slugging in the 31st percentile (.388).
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Manager Alex Cora told reporters, including MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith, that the team is trying to give Story a mental reset.
“We’re sitting him today — maybe tomorrow too — just to let him take a step back,” Cora said. “He’s been putting in the work. It’s just been a lot, and sometimes you need to see the game from a different angle.”
Smith also noted that Story has particularly struggled against fastballs this season, hitting only .182 (18-for-99) with just one extra-base hit — a double — and a .192 slugging percentage.
“We understand the problem,” Cora added. “We’re working on it. Now it’s just about translating that work into games.”
Before joining Boston, Story was a two-time All-Star over six seasons with the Colorado Rockies, where he hit .272/.340/.523 with a 112 OPS+, 158 home runs, 180 doubles, and a 27.0 bWAR. Since arriving in Boston, he hasn’t matched that production, posting a .667 OPS, 83 OPS+, 27 home runs, and 41 doubles over 214 games.
