Alex Cora Sets Expectation For Trevor Story Before Return

Trevor Story is set to rejoin the Red Sox on Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to be an everyday player quite yet.

Boston’s matchup with Kansas City at Fenway Park will mark Story’s first Major League Baseball game since early September of last year. The two-time All-Star missed the first four-plus months of the 2023 season after undergoing elbow surgery in January, and he used all but two of the 20 days allowable for a rehab assignment.

Story’s return comes at a great time for the Red Sox, as his mere presence on the field and in the dugout should serve as a shot in the arm for a ballclub that’s been struggling since late July. But as Red Sox manager Alex Cora explained Monday, Story isn’t going to jump into the deep end upon activation from the injured list.

“A few years ago, he was one of the best defensive shortstops in the big leagues, I don’t think that has changed,” Cora told reporters, per The Athletic. “It’s a matter of him getting repetitions. Obviously, we have to protect him. Don’t be surprised if in the beginning it’s one day, one day off, one day, one day off until we feel like he’s a full go.”

Based on that timeline, Story should be a full-go for the home stretch of the regular season. And that will be crucial for the Red Sox, who figure to be entrenched in a battle for an American League wild-card spot over that span.