The Boston Red Sox would seemingly be a strange landing spot for Trevor Story. They already have Xander Bogaerts in place at short, making Story appear to be more of a luxury than anything else. However, there is some logic to the interest as Bogaerts has an opt-out in his extension after the 2022 campaign and could look to enter free agency once the season ends.
As it stands, Bogaerts has said that he would be willing to move to either second or third later in his career. As Story is a better defensive option, such a move could happen as soon as this season if the former All Star signs in Boston. And there are compelling reasons as to why he may want to do so.
Boston Red Sox could be best option for Trevor Story
Story finds himself on the outside looking in at this point in free agency. Three of the top five shortstops have already signed, and Carlos Correa is still likely to receive a massive contract for his services.
The same may not be true for Story. He struggled by his standards with his 103 OPS+ the second lowest of his career, hitting 24 homers and 34 doubles while stealing 20 bases. His numbers outside of Coors Field have been relatively pedestrian, providing another reason for teams to potentially look elsewhere.
In some ways, Story finds himself in a similar situation to Marcus Semien in the previous offseason. Semien had posted a career best year in 2019, and followed that up with one of the worst seasons of his time in the majors in 2020. He took a one year deal in Toronto to prove himself and ended up with a bounceback campaign. That gamble, and his subsequent resurgence, led to a seven year deal worth $175 million.
That could be the template for Story. He may look to land on a team with postseason aspirations for the upcoming season, hoping to prove himself and re-enter the market without as much competition at short. A strong showing would go a long way to making that happen.
This could end up being the perfect union for the Red Sox. They are looking for a right handed bat to complement the lineup, and Story would add a great deal more punch. Story, meanwhile, would be in a far better lineup, providing more opportunities for him to show that his last season in Colorado was an aberration.
Trevor Story finds himself on the outside looking in at this point in free agency. A one year deal with the Boston Red Sox could be his best option.