Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story takes infield and batting practice, return looking more a reality
Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story took batting practice on Monday afternoon at Fenway Park for the first time since undergoing surgery on his shoulder back in April.
“It felt good, man,” Story said to reporters. “Taking some BP was good for me mentally and physically too.”
Story lifted two balls into the Green Monster seats and one to the first row over the center field wall just above the Bleacher Bar. He also took grounders at shortstop as he tries to ramp up for a return to the Red Sox lineup this season.
“The effort wasn’t too high, so for me, knowing I could still get it out like that, that’s a big thing for me,” he said.
Story underwent surgery just four months ago after injuring his shoulder while making a diving stop in a game against the Angels. The initial thought was that Story would miss the remainder of the season and be back in 2025.
Instead, he rehabbed in Los Angeles following the procedure and is feeling good, and now the veteran is working on getting into baseball shape.
“It feels close, so I’m happy about that,” Story said. “Body’s responding well. So I’ve just got to kind of get in baseball shape.”
Red Sox skipper Alex Cora said that seeing Story take batting practice was a significant sign. “It means a lot that he’s on the field,” Cora said.
Cora said it wasn’t until Story joined the team in Colorado following the All-Star break that there was a chance he could play again this season.
“From that day in Anaheim all the way to now, it’s incredible to be honest with you,” Cora said. “I was talking to the people at ESPN, and they asked me when I really believed he was going to be part of this. (I said) in Colorado. He caught me off guard. We started talking, and he’s saying I’m doing this, I’m doing this, I’m hitting this day, I’m hitting on the field this day, and there’s a chance I’ll be ready. And I’m like, wow, that’s tremendous.”
Cora also credited Story for taking time away from the team to focus on his rehab and work to keep him on track in his recovery, saying he was “selfish in a good way.”
With 40 games or so left in the regular season, Story has his sights set on getting back on the field and helping the Red Sox make the postseason for the first time since 2022.
“We’re not talking about this weekend, right?” Cora said. “But it feels a lot closer now than what it was four or five months ago.”
