The Boston Red Sox could get a huge reinforcement for their roster sooner than expected.
Two-time All-Star shortstop Trevor Story appears to have almost fully recovered from shoulder surgery.
On Wednesday, footage surfaced on X showing Story taking live batting practice at Fenway Park, showing a fluid swing. Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe shared the video, noting that Story looked “very relaxed” at the plate.
Could Story return to the diamond this season?
The answer seems increasingly to be a clear yes.
Last week, Boston manager Alex Cora spoke to the media and said he was “completely confident” that Story would return in 2024. Wednesday’s footage from Fenway only reinforced Cora’s comments.
It’s impossible to know what kind of pain Story is dealing with or what his actual health status is, but all indications are that he will return to the lineup at some point this season as the Red Sox continue to fight for a playoff spot.
With Triston Casas also expected to return to Boston soon (much sooner than Story), the Red Sox lineup could look very different by the end of August, hopefully for the better.
Will rust play a role in the return of both players? Certainly, but Boston can trust Cora to handle this with the necessary caution.
Story signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox in March 2022. Injuries resulted in Story appearing in only 145 games for Boston over the past three seasons.
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