Boston Red Sox infielder Trevor Story got off to a late start to his spring training routine.
He signed late, for starters, and then left camp to attend the birth of his child.
He is still very much expected to be ready for Opening Day, and according manager Alex Cora, that will be the case.
“Cora said Story will play Wednesday and then Friday and Saturday. Will he be ready for Opening Day? ‘Oh yeah,’” the Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham reported via Twitter on Tuesday.
Cora said Story will play Wednesday and then Friday and Saturday.
Will he be ready for Opening Day?
“Oh yeah.”
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) March 29, 2022
Everything is ready, then, for Story to ramp up his preparations in order to have some sort of training before the first regular season game, scheduled for April 7 against the New York Yankees.
Story returned to the team’s spring training facility on Monday.
The Red Sox Will Likely Give Story Some Days Off Early In The Season
Cora had stated this week that his star infielder, who is expected to take over second base due to the presence of Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, will get some off days early in the season because of his short spring.
He signed a six-year, $140 million contract, the same deal that Javier Baez inked with the Detroit Tigers before the lockout.
He is now in a race against time to get used to big league pitching again: he needs his timing, and that will only come with plate appearances.
The Red Sox, therefore, will likely need some patience before seeing their most recent big signing take off.
Story is coming off one of his most disappointing seasons in MLB, hitting .251/.329/.471.
He had enough time, however, to hit 24 home runs and steal 20 bases.
He should have a good, solid career with a Red Sox uniform, and he has the talent to be a fixture in the middle infield for years to come.
