The Boston Red Sox are projected by many as serious contenders in the American League East this season.
To compete for a postseason berth this year, the key Red Sox players must stay as far away from the injured list as possible.
That’s why fans held their breath on Tuesday before Boston took on the Philadelphia Phillies in spring training action. The team announced that shortstop Trevor Story was scratched from the lineup with mild upper-back tightness.
After Tuesday’s game, manager Alex Cora set the record straight on Story’s injury.
“He’s doing OK,” Cora told reporters postgame, according to MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “He’s just tight. He was taking grounders today, felt it a little bit. He should play tomorrow (Wednesday).”
On Wednesday, Story’s name did not appear on the Red Sox lineup for their spring game against the Minnesota Twins. According to Christopher Smith of MassLive, Cora met with reporters at JetBlue Park on Wednesday. Cora said that Story would participate in a simulated game on Thursday and should return to actual game action this Saturday.
It seems Story avoided a trip to the injured list as the MLB regular season looms. The 32-year-old was limited to 26 games in 2024 after shoulder surgery in April.
Story dislocated his left shoulder attempting to make a diving play on a ground ball to his right during a game against the Los Angeles Angels on April 5. After many assumed Story’s injury was season-ending, the Red Sox activated the two-time All-Star from the 60-day injured list on September 7.
Story and the Red Sox agreed to a six-year, $140 million contract in March 2022. He’s played in 163 of the possible 486 regular-season games with the Red Sox since the start of 2022 and has hit .232 with 21 home runs and a .693 OPS.
