The Boston Red Sox ended their three-year playoff absence this season thanks to an unexpected surge in the standings during the second half of the year.
A major factor behind their success was the call-up of several promising young players, including Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony. However, the resurgence of veteran infielder Trevor Story also played a key role. Story had previously struggled to live up to his six-year, $140 million contract after two All-Star campaigns with the Colorado Rockies.
This year, he appeared in 157 games — the most he’s played in a single season since joining Boston — and posted a .263/.308/.433 slash line, his best offensive output since his strong, MVP-caliber performance in the shortened 2020 season.
Story’s resurgent season was certainly welcomed by the team, but it raised a surprising question for the player this offseason. After several years of underperforming his contract, he bounced back just before an opt-out clause could have allowed him to re-enter free agency and find a new deal elsewhere.
Story might have been able to find a longer contract as a free agent, but he declined that option and instead chose a return to the Red Sox that will earn him $55 million over the next two years. In his first public comments about that decision, Story made it clear that he was focused on loyalty to the team.
“At this point in my career, it’s not about making decisions based on money,” Story said, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “To me, it’s pretty simple. There’s not another organization I want to be a part of. I’m just in love with the place, and got some unfinished business.”
Story’s return sets an important tone for the rest of the Red Sox offseason. The team can now focus on fleshing out its infield, as veteran third baseman Alex Bregman has opted out of his contract and will need to be re-signed or replaced and first base remains a significant question.
“From the Red Sox’ perspective, it at least provides one sure thing in an infield full of question marks,” Michael Hurley wrote of Story’s return for NBC Sports Boston. “Taken together, the Red Sox have a number of unresolved situations around the infield.”
But with Story making his decision and emphasizing his affection for the organization, the Red Sox can work to resolve those remaining gaps with some strong momentum.
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