Alex Cora announced Trevor Story will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland this week. Story will play shortstop Friday, DH Saturday, and shortstop again Sunday.
“He feels ready,” Cora said. “This is more about him than anything else.”
Story is coming back from internal brace surgery on his right elbow. He has spent time down in Fort Myers rehabbing before traveling back to Boston.
While working out at Fenway, the 30-year-old has taken grounders and batting practice on the field. Story hit live against against Corey Kluber, who is also on IL (right shoulder inflammation).
“We’re not cutting corners on the rehab. We just feel like right now is the time to go and let’s see how long it takes,” Cora said pregame on NESN. “It’s not a one-week thing. We want him to get his feet under him and bounce back after nine innings. This is just the beginning but it feels good knowing he’s going to go out and play on Friday.
It’s still unclear how long Story will be down in the minors before making his 2023 debut. MLB rules dictate position players must not spend more than 20 days on rehab assignments. Story could join Triple-A Worcester next week when the WooSox return home.
“Realistically, I see myself playing in the big leagues in August,” Story told reporters last week. “To shoot around mid-August would be great. Obviously this is a live thing so you can’t live and die by the timeline. But yeah, I think ... go on a rehab assignment, get some at-bats, get my timing underneath me and spend as long as I need down there to feel good enough to come back.”
This weekend will mark the first time Story has played in a game since Sept. 11. He injured his heel against the Orioles and missed the remainder of the season.
The Sox considered bringing Story back as a designated hitter but it appears they’ve scrapped those plans. Due to the Sox's surplus of position players, they won’t be able to utilize the former All-Star in that role.
Boston will need to make crucial roster decisions once Story is ready. Chang is expected to shift into more of a utility role, leaving Christian Arroyo, Kiké Hernández and Pablo Reyes as trade or DFA candidates.
The Sox will welcome Story back defensively with open arms, as the revolving door at shortstop has struggled.
Hernández has 15 errors this season, 14 at shortstop. Chang also made a crucial error in the second inning last night. Cora said postgame his infielder “rushed” to make the play.
Brayan Bello interested in extension
Brayan Bello has been a bright spot for the Red Sox this season as he’s turned himself from a top prospect into the ace of the staff. As the right-hander continues to dominate on the mound, the conversation on whether Chaim Bloom should extend his young hurler has begun.
Assistant general manager Eddie Romero hinted the Sox will speak with Bello “at some point.”
The 24-year-old finished the first half with a 3.04 ERA. He nearly tossed a no-hitter against the Marlins fratom Fenway Park. Bello was brilliant over seven innings but lost the no-hit bid in the eighth inning.
Bello has told reporters he wants to stay with the Red Sox long-term, but has also said that he intends to focus on this season before worrying about a contract.
“I want to focus on finishing my season good so that good things can happen for me,” said Bello.
If Boston does extend Bello, he will likely command a bigger payday than what the team gave Garrett Whitlock. His deal was a four-year, $18.75-million extension that can max out to $44.5 million over six seasons.
Brayan Bello, 95mph Paint. 🖌️🎨 pic.twitter.com/cbxwpV3AJi
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) July 15, 2023
Bello could command a deal similar to Braves righty Spencer Strider. Atlanta signed their young hurler to a six-year, $75-million pact last October.
The six-year guarantee buys out Strider’s final two pre-arbitration seasons, all three arbitration years and what would have been his first free-agent season.
Strider skyrocketed through the Braves' system after he was drafted in 2020. He was dominant for the Braves last season reaching 200 strikeouts in 130 innings, faster than any pitcher in history.
At the time of Strider’s deal, there were no comps. The largest deal for a pitcher with just one year of service time was given to Madison Bumgarner back in 2012. The southpaw signed a five-year, $35-million extension with the Giants that included two club options.
Strider’s deal is front-loaded and Bello’s team could look for something similar. Based on how Bloom and company operate, an extension is on the table for the young ace and he has Strider to thank as a close comp.
Bello is 7-5 with a 3.14 ERA, 75-to-22 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .245 batting average against, 1.20 WHIP and 148 ERA+ in 86 innings across 15 starts.
Pivetta sets franchise strikeout record for reliever
13 STRIKEOUTS FOR NICK PIVETTA! pic.twitter.com/0ejIML9Vv8
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 18, 2023
Bulk innings reliever Nick Pivetta has excelled in his new role in the bullpen. Back in mid-May, Cora announced that he was moving the right-hander from the rotation into the bullpen.
Prior to his move, the righty went 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA in 40 innings across eight starts this season.
Since then, the 30-year-old has been dominant including a career-high 13-strikeout performance against the A’s on Monday night.
Pivetta worked six scoreless and hitless innings against Oakland and in the process setting a new team record for strikeouts as a reliever. He surpassed former Sox reliever Diego Segui, who struck out 12 batters in 1974 — a record that stood for 49 years until Monday night.
“I see it as, honestly, like a four-man rotation and a bullpen day because we know that Nick will go deep,” said Cora on Sunday.
Since transitioning to the bullpen in mid-May, Pivetta has recorded a 2.31 ERA, holding opposing hitters to a .124 batting average and striking out 52 hitters in 35 innings pitched.
Bernardino carving spot out in bullpen
Brennan Bernardino has been a crucial member of the Red Sox pitching staff since being claimed off waivers from the Mariners this season.
The 31-year-old has provided versatility as both an opener and reliever. He has made three starts, posting a 2.27 ERA, 1.011 WHIP with 33 strikeouts in 27 games (31 2/3 innings).
As an opener, Bernardino has posted a 1.76 ERA over his three starts. Boston is 2-0 when the southpaw opens and Pivetta follows him as a bulk reliever.
The majority of success from Bernardino has come from his sinker/curveball combination. Opposing hitters are hitting .200 against his sinker and .222 against his curveball.
Bernardino’s ability to throw multiple innings as a reliever has helped him carve out a role with Boston.
While with the WooSox this season, skipper Chad Tracy raved about Bernardino’s ability to go plus innings, indicating how it will help him at the next level.
“He has the ability to go one plus or multiple innings.” Tracy said. “I think you will see times where we use him for a stretch of lefties, and other times where we use him for multiple innings where he has some righties.”
Tracy has deployed all of his relievers in a multiple innings role this season, mentioning that he wants to put pitchers in spots where they are comfortable.