Sean McAdam: Healthy after three injury-plagued seasons, Trevor Story is again the player he can be (2025)

BOSTON — For his last two seasons in Boston, Trevor Story found himself in survival mode.

In well-documented struggles with injuries — his elbow in 2023 and his shoulder last season — Story twice forged late-season comeback efforts that seemed doomed from the start.

Without much preparation and almost no major league game action — he took part in the first seven games of last year before being sidelined for four months — Story effectively attempted to jump aboard a train that was already moving. The results were as expected under the circumstances.

This season, his fourth with the Red Sox , has been different. After a normal offseason, Story is once again himself, reminding others — and maybe even himself — what he’s capable of doing when he’s healthy.

His nascent power, untapped for much of his time with the Red Sox, was on full display Friday night as he clubbed two three-run homers in a 10-3 rout of the Chicago White Sox.

“Just focused on hitting the ball hard. That’s really it,” offered Story. “To me, it’s very simple, it’s very short and obviously a good feeling when you feel like the ball hard in the box.”

That’s been going on for several weeks now. Since the calendar flipped to April, Story is hitting .364 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 16 games.

Both of Story’s homers were no-doubters — rising line drives that cleared the left field wall and hit struck some of the signs over the Monster Seats.

It was a reminder of what a great hitting environment Fenway can be for Story, who tends to pull the ball in the air.

“For sure,” agreed Story. “That was a big attraction to come here, come play in front of these fans, play at this ballpark. For a guy who hits the ball in the air, it’s going to be attractive. I’m seeing the fruits of that.”

Story was too busy trying to get healthy in each of his first three seasons with the Sox, too occupied with attempting to get his timing down after falling behind because of physical setbacks.

This season has been closer to what he envisioned when he signed his six-year, $140 million contract shortly after the lockout ended in 2022. And, it goes without saying, what the Red Sox envisioned, too.

“There’s that feeling of normalcy, of being settled in,” said Story, “and not trying to battle for my health every single day. That side of it can take a lot out of it. (I have) just a little more mental energy, I guess, and feeling good about my comfort level. I’m being myself, being a ballplayer, and being with boys.”

Story is reluctant to take any bows. It’s only mid-April after all, and no one knows better than Story how quickly his good health can turn.

This month has been a reminder of what he’s capable of as a hitter. He did, after all, average better than 26 homers and a .523 slugging percentage in his six seasons in Colorado.

But it’s been so long since Story has produced like this at the plate, the focus on him the last few years has been more centered on the stability he can bring to a jittery infield. (Ironically, on the same night he drove in six runs, he was charged with two errors Friday night, though one seemed like a harsh decision by the official scorer as Story drifted back into medium left field and lost a pop-up in swirling winds).

The Red Sox led the league in infield errors last year, but when Story returned in August, there was a noticeable uptick in the team’s defensive play. His steadiness — both in terms of personality and his consistent work in the field — tends to have a calming effect on others.

“You watch him on the defensive side and you kind of take for granted how sound he makes our defense,” noted teammate Rob Refsnyder, “it’s easy to forget how potent and electric his bat has been at times and he hasn’t been 100 percent healthy. To get healthy and strong (is huge)

“He sets the tone with his work ethic and the way he goes about his business. We all look to Trevor and to get the results he has, he deserves it. I don’t think anybody else in this clubhouse deserves it more than Trevor.”

Twenty-one games into the season, Story leads the Red Sox in both homers and stolen bases — still more evidence of his wide-ranging athleticism and impact.