Xander Bogaerts’ ‘replacement’ makes plea for SS to stay with Red Sox
Trevor Story wants the Red Sox to keep Xander Bogaerts
Everyone assumed that the Boston Red Sox signed Trevor Story to replace Xander Bogaerts.
Everyone, that is, except Story himself.
It turns out, the 29-year-old shortstop-turned-second baseman doesn’t want to take Bogaerts’ spot; he wants to play alongside him for years to come. In an impassioned speech to reporters at Yankee Stadium over the weekend, Story made it clear that he has no interest in replacing his teammate:
"“I would love [for Bogaerts to stay]. That’s part of why I came here. I want to play with really good players. He certainly fits that mold. He’s been here for a long time and has had success in this market, won some World Series. He’s done so much on and off the field. This is only my first year with him but he’s a huge part of this team. And of course, I want to play with him for a long, long time.”“That’s kind of how I thought about it in the offseason just having some really real conversations with myself and my family. And we were just like, ‘Is this about playing shortstop or is it about winning?’ Obviously the choice kind of speaks for itself. Bogey is a really good shortstop. And I think having him here is going to be huge for us. Hopefully, we can make that happen.”via MassLive"
That’s that, then. Back up the Brinks truck and pay the man.
How many people need to campaign before the Sox get this done? Alex Cora, David Ortiz, Story, the list is longer than a CVS receipt.
But in all seriousness, Story didn’t need to make such an impassioned speech, so the fact that he did speaks volumes about what Bogaerts means to this club. Story hasn’t even finished his first year in Boston and he already sees it.
It’s also not the first time Story has effusively praised his diamond partner. In early June, when Bogaerts broke the franchise record for games played at shortstop, the former Colorado Rockies infielder raved about the achievement.
"“Just a special guy. I think special teammate, someone that’s leading our team in like all categories. Like I said earlier, I’m happy to be on this team with him. He’s a special player, man, and he handles everything so gracefully. He’s a beast out there, so that always helps.It’s a grind, day in and day out, and Bogie’s the best. He’s shown that he can do it for a long time at the highest level. It’s amazing, proud of him for doing that and he’s got way more in him, I know that.Our chemistry is really good. I feel like we’re always communicating, always talking, on the field and off. That just helps. The more games played together, I feel like it’s going to get better.”via NESN"
Is Trevor Story healthy enough to play shortstop for Red Sox if Xander Bogaerts leaves?
It’s also fair to question whether Story could play shortstop again in Bogaerts’ absence. He’s dealt with a variety of injuries over the past two seasons, including elbow issues in 2021. This week, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (subscription required) noted that Story’s arm strength dropped from average in 2020 to well below average in 2021. While Story and infield coach Carlos Febles told Speier that they believe he could return to his previous position, the infield hopes it won’t come to that. This time, Story kept his message simple:
"“I don’t see how we get better if we’re losing him.”"
It’s clear that Story and Bogaerts have already formed a special bond. When the Sox began squiring Story last spring, Bogaerts helped land the man who could replace him. That kind of selflessness and team-first mentality speaks volumes about the kind of player and person he is.
As do Story’s actual speeches.
