Although there’s a catch with the roster moves needed to make it happen, the Boston Red Sox are set to bring Trevor Story back to the lineup. However, there’s reason to question whether he will resume his duties as the team’s starting shortstop or if he will have to prove himself first. Asked about Story, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow delivered a straightforward statement.
“We’ll have conversations with [Story] and [Chad Tracy] will work through that,” Breslow admitted on The Greg Hill Show. “Trevor will be the first to admit he struggled before getting hurt this season, but he was also someone who carried our offense for months at a time last year.
“I don’t think we got to see a full healthy version of him, he was battling through the sports hernia injury that limited his ability to be the explosive athlete he can be. And so that’s what we’re looking for, and when he’s right, he is a guy that fits into the middle of a lineup.”
Although Breslow didn’t entirely commit to naming Story the starting shortstop when he is finally back in MLB, his comments did paint a clear picture. Boston won’t rush Story’s rehab. Until he is fully recovered from sports hernia surgery, the Red Sox may not call him up. When they finally do, it will be because he’s at 100 percent, and all signs indicate he will reclaim his place at shortstop.
Trevor Story #10 of the Boston Red Sox during his rehab.
Boston may not care about Story’s struggles in minors
Story tuned out the criticism surrounding his rough rehab assignment, but has yet to show Boston he is ready to return to the Show. Maybe the Red Sox agree with Story that the results aren’t what they need to see from him, and all they need is proof that he has healed. That appears to be the key condition delaying his activation from the 60-day injured list (IL).
During his latest appearance, Breslow didn’t point a blaming finger at Story’s abysmal numbers with the Triple-A affiliate, the Worcester Red Sox. All he mentioned was how injuries have plagued the Texan throughout the 2026 MLB campaign. That is further evidence of what Boston’s evaluation of Story’s rehab is centered on.
Story could be blasting home runs day in and day out in the minors, but if he doesn’t show the right things from a medical standpoint, he may stay in Worcester longer. And vice versa, maybe Story never finds his footing in terms of production in Triple-A, but if he reacts positively and remains setback-free on the field, he could be back with Tracy and company at Fenway Park soon.
Story could start thanks to his defense
Story’s offensive production has been a loud talking point in Boston for some time now. Still, his consistency at shortstop may give him the upper hand in getting his team’s nod and watching Andruw Monasterio, who is replacing Story, go down the ranks.
Comparing Story and Monasterio’s numbers may not be an even fight, as the latter has played more than twice as many games as the former. Still, Monasterio has recorded -7 runs prevented and -9 outs above average (OAA) in the 2026 MLB season, compared with Story’s -2 and -3, respectively, according to Baseball Savant.
