Everyone in Red Sox Nation was eager for Trevor Story to return this past 2023 season. So far, his Red Sox tenure has demonstrated he is far from the old Trevor Story he was in Colorado. Now, the Red Sox front office must decide whether to move on from Trevor Story.
Should the Red Sox Consider Moving On from Trevor Story?
It has been a disappointing experience thus far for Trevor Story in Boston. He has played less than an entire season in Boston over two seasons (137 games). Fans hoped Story would return to the player he was in Colorado when he returned this season. However, those hopes were dashed when Story batted an abysmal .250, with three home runs and 14 RBIs. To make matters worse, Story struck out 34% of the time this season (55 Strikeouts in 158 plate appearances). There have been those who, like Story, signed big contracts with the Sox who underperformed and were sent packing. Could the same fate await Trevor Story?
Story Should Stay
Those who see the glass half full will argue that Story has not been healthy enough to perform to the level he did when he was with the Colorado Rockies. That seems fair. He has battled injuries each season since joining the Red Sox. Thus, he has not been healthy enough to be the ball player he has the potential to be. Trading him when he has not been one hundred percent seems unfair and cruel. Those who subscribe to this school of thought may feel the right thing to do is to give Story one more chance to see if he can stay healthy. Assuming he can stay healthy, it would be fair to see if he can produce, especially at the plate. If he can, then he should stay and fulfill the remainder of his contract.
Story Should Go
The glass-half-empty fans may say trade him now while he still may yield a high return based on the history of what he did in Colorado. There is support for that argument as well. Pitching wins championships. That is another way of saying you could have the best offensive lineup of all time on paper, but if you do not have pitching, it will not matter. Nobody highlighted the aforementioned argument better than the 2023 San Diego Padres. If no one player is bigger than the team, and pitching wins championships, then why are the Red Sox hanging on to a player that they may not need to win a title? Good question.
Takeaway
Trevor Story’s tenure with the Red Sox thus far has been disappointing. Some fans feel he needs to be given a chance to stay healthy to demonstrate what he can do at the plate. Others have seen as talented players as Story being given a shorter leash, so to speak, and sent packing. Those same fans may recognize pitching matters most when it comes to winning the World Series, and the Red Sox talent in that department is almost non-existent. Regardless of which opinion Red Sox fans can identify with, both have valid arguments. What remains uncertain and matters most is which school of thought the Red Sox front office believes to be true.
Main Photo Credits: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
