LAS VEGAS \u2014 In no uncertain terms, Craig Breslow made one thing clear Monday night: He sees Trevor Story as the Red Sox\u2019 shortstop in 2026.<\/p>\n
Story, who declined to exercise his contractual opt-out last week and will return to Boston for the final two years of his six-year contract, started 155 games at shortstop for Boston in 2025. Across the board, the numbers suggest it was a bit of a struggle defensively for the veteran. Story struggled with range, recording negative-9 outs above average (the third percentile of MLB shortstops). He also ranked in the 10th percentile in fielding run value (-8) and 36th percentile in arm strength (82.3 mph). Story finished with negative-seven defensive runs saved in 1,371 \u2153 innings at shortstop, ranking him 20th out of 22 qualified MLB shortstops in that category. He made six errors during a seven-game stretch in late September with five coming on throws to first base<\/a>.<\/p>\n Those factors would seem to make it possible for the Red Sox to shift Story to second base, where he played in 2022 alongside Xander Bogaerts, and fill the shortstop spot with a better defender, either from the outside or with an internal option like Marcelo Mayer. But Breslow was adamant that the team remains high on Story\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m aware of some of the errors. I\u2019m aware of what some of the defensive metrics indicate,\u201d Breslow said at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas as the GM Meetings opened. \u201cI also think that he brought a stabilizing presence to the infield. I think some of his errors were clustered toward the end of the season, in just a short time period. And also, he hasn\u2019t played a full season in a really long time. I think he\u2019s going into the offseason with no doubts about his health, with no doubts about his ability to perform at a really high level. I think we\u2019re going to see even more production out of the next year.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Trevor was playing shortstop, we felt like balls that were put in play to the shortstop were going to be converted into outs. He and I have a great relationship and the communication is very, very clear. The commitment we have to each other is to be honest with one another.\u201d<\/p>\n Breslow said he did not feel the need to communicate with Story about his future position, hinting that the two men, who have a good relationship, didn\u2019t feel the subject was one worth addressing. Still, it\u2019s clear that the Red Sox, who are exploring every avenue to improve their roster in 2026, have to be open to potential moves that would improve the infield defense, which has been an issue for years. Bo Bichette, the top free agent shortstop, doesn\u2019t grade out as a great defender. Ha-Seong Kim would be an upgrade with his glove. Mayer is a smooth, athletic defender who is a natural shortstop but logged only three innings at the position as a rookie. He made 28 starts at third base when Alex Bregman was out with a quad injury and also played eight games (seven starts) at second base.<\/p>\n Mayer\u2019s position for next season is an open question entering 2026 as he tries to recover from wrist surgery and stay healthy for a full season. As a professional, Mayer hasn\u2019t logged more than 91 games in a single year (2022).<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe saw a gifted defender, because this was a guy who has played shortstop his entire life, then took some reps at second base and looked completely comfortable and natural,\u201d Breslow said. \u201cPlayed third base for the first time over an extended period in the big leagues, starting with his debut. He played the part of a really good defensive third baseman. I think that versatility is going to be incredibly helpful. I think he can play above average defense, probably, anywhere on the infield.\u201d<\/p>\n Story, instead of pursuing a bigger contract on the open market, decided to return to the Red Sox and earn $55 million over the next two seasons.<\/a> The Red Sox hold a club option over the soon-to-be 33-year-old for 2028. Questions about his future position will linger until then. For now, though, the shortstop position is his to lose.<\/p>\n \u201cTrevor decided not to opt out and he, I thought, made some pretty pointed quotes about believing in the organization, the support he felt and the direction that we\u2019re headed,\u201d Breslow said. \u201cI subscribe to that position.<\/p>\n \u201cTrevor and I have had a number of conversations this offseason and he\u2019s excited and anxious to take on the work this winter and to go into spring training with some clear development opportunities on the defensive side. We\u2019ve discussed ensuring that we\u2019re providing him with information to let him know how his performance is trending.\u201d<\/p>\n If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. 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