Trevor Story is on a mission this season to give the Boston Red Sox the production they hoped to find when they signed him to a free-agent deal before the 2022 season.
Story was an All-Star during his tenure with the Colorado Rockies, providing quality defense and impacting the game offensively with his combination of power and speed. His deal with Boston seemed to be the next step in helping the Red Sox return to the World Series after coming within two wins of a pennant in 2021.
“That’s the reason that I chose to come here, to play in the playoffs and win world championships,” Story told The Athletic’s Tyler Kepner in a recent column.
Instead, Story’s first two seasons were derailed by injuries, which have prevented him from fulfilling that potential. The 31-year-old devoted himself to taking advantage of a normal offseason, stepping up as a veteran leader while working to restore his swing. Story hopes that his improvement, which he has started to show in spring training, can be the first step in getting his Boston dreams back on track.
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“When I signed up (before the 2022 season), I remember watching Fenway in the playoffs,” Story added. “I was like, ‘Damn, that’s a special place, man.’ You always knew it was, but the prospect of it just finally became real. I fell in love with that, so we’re all super eager for it. We have some work to do, but I feel good about it.”
If the Red Sox are set to defy expectations in 2024, Story will be a big reason why.