After the Boston Red Sox were unable to re-sign their All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman in the offseason, the feeling all over social media was that the team had allowed the Chicago Cubs to stick a pin in their hot air balloon by signing him away. Many wanted to know if the organization was really serious about winning.
The loss of the three-time All-Star Bregman and his Gold Glove hurt twice as much as they had traded away the team’s longtime offensive leader Rafael Devers, who is also a three-time All-Star, across the country to the San Francisco Giants last season after asking him to move from third base to first base to make room for Bregman.
Now they have neither.
The club will be counting on veteran shortstop and two-time All-Star Trevor Story now perhaps more than anyone to hold the infield together, as they count more on their up-and-coming prospects, and new additions. Last year, Story had his best and first full season since 2021, slugging 25 homers, while also leading all American League shortstops in putouts, double plays and assists (and also errors). His 89 double plays turned led all shortstops in the majors.
Now Story is the veteran leader on the club. A two-time All-Star with the Colorado Rockies, Story is looking to put up back-to-back 20-home-run seasons for the first time since he clubbed 37 homers for the Rockies in 2018 and 29 homers for the Rockies in 2019 on his way to winning two Silver Slugger awards. Since then, Story has endured elbow surgery in 2023 and shoulder surgery in 2024, not to mention various hand and heel injuries.
That makes his 2025 season all the more incredible. It’s something the 33-year-old Texas native is proud of.
“I feel good. I feel like I finished the season strong offensively,” Story said after taking his first batting practice of the spring last week. “I feel like I made some adjustments during the season that are going to help me.”
Story said those adjustments are more mental, rather than his physical attributes.
“It’s more about the mentality. Learning how to relax more and just let the athlete come out instead of trying to red line out there,” Story said.
In his first batting practice of the spring, Story joined last year’s rookie Kristian Campbell, and the team’s two new acquisitions from the Milwaukee Brewers – infielders Caleb Durbin and Andruw Monasterio. Story put some big swings on display while also watching the hitting mechanics of his fellow infielders closely as they stepped into the batting cage.
“It’s good to just get out here and feel the vibes of spring,” Story said. “Being around the boys is the main thing.”
Story said he takes his fielding at shortstop as seriously as his hitting.
“It’s something I take a lot of pride in is being a complete player on both sides of the ball,” Story said. That includes stealing bases. Last season, Story stole 31 bases, the most in his career. He was among the top 10 in the American League in stolen bases.
Story said he believes he can build off last season’s success.
“I know there is a next level for me,” Story said.
In the offseason, Story and his wife welcomed a baby girl. After taking a few weeks off to rest after the season, Story said he went right back to working out. Story said he thinks he has the “best team in the world” helping him to stay in shape during the offseason along with some physical therapy.
“I am 33 and I have learned some things about my body and I am taking really good care of it,” Story said. He said he does a lot of running, strength and agility exercises. His program is built for him to handle more intense activities than he will see in a game. He believes the program will make him more durable.
As far as the offseason changes on the team, Story said “we have Marcelo (Mayer) and some young guys that have been here. It’s an exciting group. We have a lot of talent. The boys are ready to put in the work. I am excited to see how the infield shapes up.”
On losing Devers and Bregman, Story said, “those guys were a big part of our team.”
“It’s a situation where the young guys are going to step up. It’s a great opportunity for them. I know there is a lot of confidence in those guys.
“We are a younger team for sure especially on the position-player side but I feel good about the leadership and Contreras and myself,” he said.
Story was referring to the team’s acquisition of Willson Contreras in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason. The first baseman and former catcher will add some veteran experience with a team with emerging young players such as Campbell, Mayer and outfielder Roman Anthony.
Story knows he will be looked upon from some of the young players as one of the leaders of the team.
“It’s something I embrace,” he said. “I have embraced that for years. It’s part of the game. It’s part of giving back.”
When Story first came up, he took the baseball world by storm. He set a Major League Baseball record by homering in each of his first four games. He then broke a record shared by Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Larry Walker by hitting seven homers in his first six games.
“It’s been a lot of emotions, kind of bursting on the scene like that was unexpected. Just fun. The first few years of the big leagues you are trying to survive and get your footing. I had some really good years and also had some injuries and some down years. That’s part of the game,” he said. “I found a way to bounce back because I have the best people surrounding me and a great organization. To be able to put together a solid year last year means a lot.”
Ask Story’s manager about him and you will see Alex Cora beaming about as bright as the Florida sun.
“He is good man. I am excited about him,” Cora said.
After watching him in batting practice, Cora said Story is “night and day compared to last year. Last year, he was trying to find himself. Today, there was a lot of confidence in that batting practice. He knows what he has to do.”
Cora said Story “was one of the best hitters in the big leagues the last four months of the season.”
Cora said he was happy for Story to have returned.
“Imagine if he had a decent May, we would have been talking All-Star right?”
Cora said Story’s season took off after struggling in May and then rebounding after a bases-clearing double against the Atlanta Braves on June 1 turned Story’s season around.
“He opted in,” Cora said about Story’s decision to stay with the team rather than opt out of his contract and become a free agent as he could have.
There is a sense in Red Sox camp that although the team has lost some major pieces in the last year, the team believes it is capable of getting back to the playoffs. They lost their Wild Card match against the New York Yankees in three games after winning the first game under the recently-overhauled playoff schedule. Story homered in the second game to tie the game in the 6th before the Yankees scored the winning run in the 8th on a two-out single by Austin Wells. They lost 4-0 to the Yankees in the third game and were eliminated from the playoffs.
“Three days is nothing,” Cora said. “It’s unfinished business. We got to be better. We have to improve. Like I said before, the goal is to be playing Oct. 20.”
To reach NATHAN MAYBERG, please email nmayberg@breezenewspapers.com