Copyright Newsweek
On a day when Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman's decision to opt out of his contract and become a free agent was made official, another veteran member of the roster that took the team to the playoffs for the first time since 2021 has informed the club of his own decision about his future, according to a report by a leading Red Sox insider. Trevor Story, the 32-year-old shortstop signed as a free agent from the Colorado Rockies to a six-year, $140 million contract in 2022, had an option to step away from his contract after the 2025 season. If he opted out, Story would become a free agent again after a year in which, after a slow start, he hit for an .827 OPS from the start of June until the end of the season as the Red Sox battled for a wild-card spot in the American League postseason. "Source: Trevor Story opting in," MassLive Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo posted on his social media account Tuesday afternoon. "Story has two years left and is said to appreciate the organization and its direction. Big early piece of offseason business for the Red Sox as their shortstop returns." The season was quite a comeback for Story, a two-time All-Star in his six years with the Rockies who spent most of his first three years in Boston recovering from a devastating string of injuries that included a broken left shoulder, a right elbow ligament tear requiring reconstructive surgery, and severe bruises on both of his hands. More MLB: Red Sox Make Decision on 101 MPH Former Top Pitching Hope Story played in all but five regular-season Red Sox games, plus all three postseason games, after managing to get on the field for just 163 games over the previous three seasons combined. ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan confirmed Cotillo's initial report that Story will stay with the Red Sox for the final two seasons of his contract, at least. "He'll return to a Red Sox team with a cadre of young infielders — including Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell — and offers stability amid the potential loss of third baseman Alex Bregman, who chose to opt out of the final two years of his three-year, $120 million contract with Boston," Passan wrote. Story is owed $25 million for each of his final two seasons, but if the team wants to keep him around after that, the Red Sox hold a club option for 2028 that would also pay Story — who will then be 35 years old — $25 million for that season.
