How Trevor Story Adds Dynamic Ability In Red Sox Lineup

Trevor Story certainly had an adjustment period in his first few at-bats back in the big leagues when he made his 2023 season debut on Tuesday after offseason elbow surgery.

In his first three games after being reinstated, the 30-year-old went 1-for-11 with seven strikeouts. Friday's game offered some improvement in a 2-for-4 performance.

On Sunday, Story broke out against the Detroit Tigers to show the major addition he can be to the already-powerful Red Sox lineup.

Story went 4-for-4 with three doubles and two runs scored. All four balls were smoked off of the bat as his swing timing and exit velocity showed tremendous improvement. He became just the third player in franchise history to steal two bases with three extra-base hits, per ESPN Stats and Info.

The two-time Silver Slugger tallied four hits in a game for the first time since his three-homer performance against the Seattle Mariners on May 19, 2022.

"It feels good to just be back playing baseball, honestly," Story said on Peacock's broadcast after the Red Sox win. "I missed it for a long time. When you're not able to, you realize how much you love it."

The shortstop's athleticism showed on Sunday with a pair of stolen bases. Story stole 13 bases without being caught in 2022 and joins other Red Sox speedsters including Jarren Duran with the ability to pressure the opposition with speed.

Story continues to look strong defensively as well, where his impact may be felt the most for a previously unstable middle infield among a Red Sox defense that leads baseball in errors.

In his second year with Boston, Story's resurgence comes during a series that stacked on the important returns to the pitching staff with Chris Sale and Garrett Whitlock.

"We're definitely getting healthy," Story added. "We really like our team. Every team deals with injuries. I think we're getting healthy at the right time and playing good baseball. I still think we have our best ahead of us. That's the exciting part."

The two-time All-Star has plenty of work ahead to return to full-speed, however, Boston's most recent win is a perfect encapsulation of how much of a difference a healthy Trevor Story makes for a team very much in the thick of a playoff race.