MLB Notebook: Red Sox facing another Trevor Story injury setback; Marcelo Mayer Boston’s future at shortstop?

The marriage between Trevor Story and the Red Sox has been anything but smooth.

Since Boston signed the veteran shortstop to a six-year, $140-million contract during spring training in 2022, the partnership has largely been defined by injuries and disappointing offensive production.

Now, Story’s difficult tenure in Boston has taken another troubling turn. The 33-year-old is expected to be sidelined after being diagnosed with a sports hernia, an injury that could ultimately require surgery. Story is currently seeking a second opinion to determine both the severity of the injury and whether a surgical procedure will be necessary.

“We’re trying to get the best information, not make a rushed decision,” Story said. “Obviously, surgery is not ideal or wanted, so trying to navigate this thing as best we can with the information that we have.”

Story believes that if surgery is required, he could miss anywhere from six to 10 weeks.

The veteran shortstop first began feeling discomfort during spring training and initially believed the issue was simply groin tightness. He managed the injury through the opening weeks of the season, but the problem worsened in late April during the Red Sox’ series in Baltimore.

“A couple of weeks in, I just felt it,” said Story. “I tried to grind through it and just got to the point where I might need to take a timeout and evaluate some things a little further. Obviously, I haven't been able to really move like myself out there; it kind of built up on me.”

Offensively, Story has looked completely lost at the plate this season. The veteran shortstop is hitting just .206 with three home runs, seven doubles, 19 RBI, eight walks, and 57 strikeouts while posting a .547 OPS across 41 games. Underlying metrics paint an even uglier picture. Story’s 44.0 percent chase rate ranks as the fifth-worst among qualified major league hitters, while his 32.4 percent strikeout rate is the sixth-highest in baseball, according to FanGraphs. 

Defensively, the struggles have carried over there as well. The two-time All-Star ranks in just the 10th percentile in Outs Above Average with a -3 mark this season. Story admitted the sports hernia is not entirely to blame for his struggles, but acknowledged he has not felt like himself physically on the field.

“I’m not going to be blaming it all on that, but it plays a part for sure,” Story said. “I think the main thing is getting it right. I’m not so much worried about what has happened. More worried about problem-solving it and moving forward with the next steps, whatever that may be.

“If you’re watching the game, I think you can tell that I’m not moving the way that I want, and that’s frustrating. At this level, I think you have to have a certain amount of yourself to feel like yourself. Recently, it has reared its head that it might not be the case.”

If Story ultimately undergoes surgery, the timeline would likely sideline him for the bulk of the summer.

With the veteran shortstop unavailable, the Red Sox recalled Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester prior to Saturday’s 3-2 win over the Braves.

Boston started Andruw Monasterio at shortstop in that game and currently plans to use a platoon of Monasterio, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Sogard at the position while Story is sidelined.

That approach, however, has left many around the organization and fan base scratching their heads. The Red Sox arguably already have their best shortstop on the roster, he’s just currently playing second base.

Marcelo Mayer was drafted and developed as a shortstop, and depending on how much time Story misses, Boston may eventually be forced to make the obvious move and shift the rookie back to his natural position.

“I know the big question is Marcelo; everybody’s gonna want to know that,” Chad Tracy said. “I do think part of that depends on knowing what’s happening with Trevor. Is this a three-week thing and he’s going to be back quick? Or is this a longer thing? We have definitely kicked (that) around. We know Marcelo has played short. He’s done it his whole life.

“But definitely, number one, it’s not something we’re gonna do right now,” Tracy added. “And two, we can’t just fire him over there. If we are gonna do that, we need to get him some more (work). He’s taken no groundballs anywhere but second. So, again, let’s see what’s going on with Trevor, and then we’ll dive deeper into that.

Monasterio has bounced all around the infield this season and has primarily been used against left-handed pitching. The versatile infielder is hitting .258 with one home run, eight doubles, and a .734 OPS across 71 plate appearances this season. Sogard also brings defensive flexibility to the roster. The switch-hitter has appeared at six different positions for Triple-A Worcester this season, including 75 innings at shortstop.

Once Romy González returns from the injured list, he could provide the Red Sox with a much-needed offensive boost. González offers versatility across all four infield positions and has consistently been one of Boston’s better hitters against left-handed pitching. The utility man underwent left shoulder surgery on March 12 and has slowly begun ramping up baseball activities. Prior to the Braves series, González resumed playing catch and is expected to begin swinging a bat in the near future.

“I think it depends on who’s pitching and what we want to do with the lineup but the big thing right now is that we have people capable of playing it, which is important,” Tracy said. “You guys know how well Mona has swung the bat. Sogard, you guys have seen what he has done up here. We’re searching for offense, so that’s always a piece of the puzzle. You can see different things on different days with different pitchers to get the best lineup we can get out there to get some runs.”

Story’s lengthy injury history since arriving in Boston is already well documented. According to Tracy, the Red Sox were informed on April 26 that their veteran shortstop was dealing with groin tightness and would need to manage the symptoms moving forward.

“Then there’s a slowly hit groundball, hard run down the line; it (nags) at him for a couple days,” Tracy said. “So, I’ve been aware of that. There’s been off days popped in there to make sure we get him back to neutral. So I don’t think anything got way worse or something happened worse. It’s just, he’s been dealing with it.”

With that list now growing, Story missed much of his first three seasons including shoulder surgery in 2024. Last season, he played his first full season with Boston, hitting .263 with a .741 OPS in 157 games.

“I pride myself on playing every day and posting, and I was able to do that last year and felt great about that, so it’s frustrating, for sure,” he said.

Story’s best season in Boston came in 2025, when he finally stayed healthy and played in 157 regular-season games, 160 total, including the postseason.

The veteran shortstop became just the second player in Red Sox history to record at least 25 home runs, 90 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases in a season, joining Jacoby Ellsbury, who accomplished the feat in 2011.

After enduring a miserable month of May, Story rebounded in a major way, hitting .289 with an .827 OPS from June 1 through the remainder of the season and helping propel Boston back to the postseason.

Defensively, however, his season was more difficult to fully evaluate. On one hand, Story clearly passed the eye test and brought a level of stability and athleticism to shortstop that the Red Sox had lacked for years. Story committed 19 errors and graded poorly in several defensive categories, including minus-7 Defensive Runs Saved.

The Sox losing Story on the field is a big blow, despite his horrific start to the season. In a clubhouse that lacks many established veteran voices, Story has emerged as one of the Red Sox’ primary leaders and most respected veteran presences.

“You guys know what he means to our team, his leadership in the locker room,” Tracy said. “He’s a big piece of the puzzle, so that part of it stinks. He’s meant a lot to me in my transition here, the way he’s accepted me and pushed other guys to do so. He’s a big piece of it. So, we’ll gather more info and see what ultimately happens with it.”

Story emphasized that his groin issue is nothing compared to his shoulder injury in the past. 

“It's not a situation like my shoulder, where that's like getting your head knocked off,” Story said. “So, definitely this is a more [manageable] situation, I think. But yeah, unfortunately, I’ve had experience with coming back, and whatever it takes, surgery or not, I'm going to kill the rehab and do my thing.”

Crochet/Anthony Updates

It’s becoming increasingly unlikely that either Garrett Crochet or Roman Anthony will return from the injured list in the immediate future, though both players continue to make progress while rehabbing with the team on the road.

Anthony, who has been sidelined since May 5 after spraining a ligament in his right hand, appears to be closer to a return than Crochet.

The Red Sox are hopeful the rookie outfielder will be able to grip and swing a bat once the club arrives in Kansas City to begin its next series on Monday.

“He threw longer with a little bit more reps and with a little bit more intensity. Everything went well with that,” said Tracy. “We’ll re-evaluate tomorrow, a full treatment day, and we’re hopeful he picks up a bat on Monday and starts swinging. That all depends on how he feels tomorrow.”

Anthony has been eligible to return from the injured list and traveled with the team this week in hopes of potentially returning during either the Braves series in Atlanta or the upcoming set against the Royals in Kansas City.

A return during the Kansas City series has not been ruled out, though the Red Sox are expected to continue taking a cautious approach with the young outfielder’s recovery.

“It depends on how much volume of swings he does on that day,” Tracy said. “You have to keep in mind, too, that you can’t just do (batting practice) flips and go into a game. There’s going to have to be some level of (pitching) machine velocity work to test it out as well. The important thing is we’re getting closer.”

Anthony had a cortisone injection earlier this week and is out of the brace on his wrist. 

“I'm out of the brace, as you mentioned, and got to do baseball activity today, so that’s a positive sign,” Anthony said. “I'm feeling good. So just continue to get with our training staff and trust what they have planned for me and continue to ramp up.”

Crochet has continued to progress in his throwing program. After previously throwing a 20-pitch bullpen session at Fenway Park, the Red Sox ace threw a more extensive 35-pitch bullpen in the visitors’ bullpen at Truist Park this weekend.

“Crochet threw a 35-pitch side and felt good,” Tracy said. “The next step would be an up-down side sometime early next week probably Wednesday.”

The left-hander had hoped to progress to facing hitters this week, but Boston instead plans to have him throw a two-inning “up-and-down” bullpen session, likely on Wednesday, before advancing him to live hitters for the first time.

Crochet has expressed a desire to avoid a minor league rehab assignment altogether, though the Red Sox have not yet ruled out simply inserting him directly back into the major league rotation once he is fully built back up.

The next Red Sox player expected to return from the injured list appears to be left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe.

The veteran lefty continued his rehab assignment Friday night with Double-A Portland, tossing a scoreless inning for the Sea Dogs. Coulombe was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this month due to cervical spasms.

Tolle Terrific

The Red Sox rotation continues to churn out one impressive outing after another, and Payton Tolle’s gem Saturday night only reinforced that trend.

Facing a dangerous Braves lineup that entered the game ranked first in MLB in batting average (.265) and second in OPS (.770), the rookie left-hander looked completely unfazed.

Tolle made a strong case to remain in Boston’s rotation long term, delivering a career-high eight innings in the Red Sox’ 3-2 victory.

The southpaw allowed just two runs while walking one batter and striking out three. Perhaps most impressive, however, was his efficiency. Tolle needed only 85 pitches to complete eight innings, throwing 60 for strikes.

“Just awesome,” Tracy said. “Even just the pitch count and the efficiency and to put himself in position to be able to go out there for an eighth inning. He was just so, so good.”

Despite having only one full professional season under his belt, one that also included a brief taste of the major leagues last year, Tolle has quickly developed into a steady presence both on the mound and inside the Red Sox clubhouse.

Around the League

Sometimes you read a headline and genuinely wonder whether it’s real news or something straight out of The Onion.

That was the reaction across much of baseball late last week when reports surfaced linking Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz to a cockfighting ring in Puerto Rico.

Honestly, the first thing that came to mind was the classic Seinfeld episode where Kramer buys a rooster named “Little Jerry” and starts entering him in underground cockfights.

According to a report from USA Today, Díaz, his brother and former Dodgers reliever Alexis Díaz, along with prominent horse racing jockeys José Ortiz and Irad Ortiz Jr., were implicated as participants in cockfighting activities in Puerto Rico.

The story quickly became one of the strangest off-field headlines MLB has seen in recent years. Cockfighting occupies a complicated and controversial place within Puerto Rican culture.

In October 2010, Puerto Rican legislators voted in favor of a resolution protecting cockfighting, describing it as an important part of the island’s folklore and cultural heritage.

However, federal law superseded that protection in 2019, making cockfighting illegal across all U.S. states and territories, including Puerto Rico.

Despite the federal ban, the practice has reportedly continued throughout parts of the island due to its deep cultural roots and longstanding popularity in certain communities.

Under federal law, participating in a cockfight can carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and fines, while even attending as a spectator can result in up to one year imprisonment and financial penalties.

As bizarre as the Díaz story was, it wasn’t the only major development involving the Dodgers this week.

• Los Angeles also learned that ace left-hander Blake Snell will undergo surgery on Tuesday to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

The Dodgers have not yet provided a firm timetable for Snell’s return, though the organization remains hopeful the veteran could potentially pitch again later this season.

The exact procedure is still being finalized, but there is growing belief Snell could undergo the increasingly popular NanoNeedle Scope procedure, the same surgery Tigers ace Tarik Skubal recently had performed.

That recovery has already drawn attention around baseball. Less than a week after undergoing the procedure, Skubal was reportedly already back to playing light catch, offering some optimism that Snell’s absence may not necessarily extend into 2027.

"Tarik has started his throwing program, which is significant news just that it's increased his rehab progression to the next phase, which is really exciting," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said to reporters on Friday. "We thought this procedure would lead to a step-by-step process, and this next step is literally the throwing program. So he initiated that earlier this week and will continue to play catch daily until we ramp him up to the bullpen."

• The Yankees were dealt a major blow this week when ace left-hander Max Fried landed on the 15-day injured list with a bone bruise.

Fried underwent both an MRI and a CT scan on Thursday before being evaluated by the Yankees team physician, Dr. Chris Ahmad.

According to the club, the veteran southpaw will undergo another round of testing “in a few weeks [or when asymptomatic]” to determine when he can resume throwing.

Any injury involving a frontline starter immediately raises alarm bells in New York, especially when outside specialists become involved.

The Yankees also revealed that renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, one of the most respected names in baseball and a leading Tommy John specialist, will review Fried’s imaging results as well.

Fried attempted to calm fears afterward, insisting the additional review was simply being done out of “due diligence.”

• The Seattle Mariners were dealt a significant blow Thursday when star catcher Cal Raleigh was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain.

Raleigh exited Wednesday night’s game against the Astros in the ninth inning after experiencing discomfort in his right side. The injury marks the first injured list stint of Raleigh’s major league career.

Losing Raleigh, even for a short stretch, is a major hit for Seattle both offensively and defensively. The veteran catcher has become one of the anchors of the Mariners lineup while also serving as one of the league’s most respected defensive catchers and game-callers behind the plate.

Oblique injuries can be tricky for hitters and catchers alike because the rotational stress on the core during both swings and throws makes recovery timelines difficult to predict early on.

• Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber is putting together one of the most explosive power stretches baseball has seen in decades.

Entering play Saturday, Schwarber had already launched 20 home runs through Philadelphia’s first 45 games, putting him on pace for a staggering 72 homers this season.

The left-handed slugger has homered nine times over his last eight games, failing to go deep only once during that stretch while also recording two multi-homer performances.

Schwarber became the first player in Major League Baseball to reach the 20-homer mark this season and the first player since 2006 to hit at least 20 home runs within his team’s first 45 games.

Only 10 players in MLB history have ever accomplished the feat.

The names surrounding Schwarber on that list highlight just how historic his start has been. Barry Bonds blasted 24 home runs through 45 games during his legendary 73-homer season in 2001, still the most ever at that point of a season.

Albert Pujols followed with 22 homers through 45 games in 2006, while Ken Griffey Jr. hit 21 during the strike-shortened 1994 campaign.

Now Schwarber has joined that rare company while putting together arguably the best power stretch of his career. The Red Sox surely couldn't have used a slugger like Schwarber in their lineup. 

The Red Sox and Yankees series in June will have some familiar faces around the ballpark. Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, Alex Rodriguez and play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt will call the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox game on Saturday, June 6, as the Fox studio team will move into the Bronx booth.

The next chapter of Major League Baseball’s labor battle officially began Tuesday.

MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association exchanged opening presentations this week, kicking off negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement more than six months before the current deal expires on Dec. 1.

While neither side is expected to reach a new agreement anytime soon, the opening session represents the first major step in what many around the sport expect to be a lengthy and potentially contentious negotiation process.

With the current CBA set to expire after the 2026 season, the future of the 2027 campaign could ultimately hang in the balance if talks deteriorate over the next year.

Baseball’s last labor dispute resulted in a 99-day lockout prior to the 2022 season, delaying spring training and forcing the league to restructure the regular-season schedule.

This time around, many league insiders expect topics such as salary structure, competitive balance tax thresholds, revenue sharing, international spending, and potential salary cap discussions to dominate negotiations between ownership and the players union.

Last summer, tensions between Major League Baseball and the players union spilled directly into a clubhouse confrontation involving commissioner Rob Manfred and Phillies star Bryce Harper.

During a meeting in Philadelphia intended to improve relations between the league office and players, Harper reportedly got into a heated face-to-face exchange with Manfred, at one point yelling, “Get the f— out of our clubhouse,” if the commissioner intended to discuss the possibility of a salary cap.

While Manfred never explicitly used the words “salary cap” during the meeting, multiple reports indicated broader conversations surrounding baseball’s economic structure immediately struck a nerve with players.

Few topics in professional sports create more tension between ownership and players than the idea of a salary cap, and it is widely expected to become one of the most explosive issues during the upcoming labor negotiations.

The MLB Players Association has historically viewed a salary cap as a non-starter, pointing to baseball’s uncapped structure as one of the union’s biggest victories compared to other major North American sports leagues.

Owners, meanwhile, continue searching for ways to address widening payroll gaps and long-term financial concerns across the sport.

With the current collective bargaining agreement set to expire after the 2026 season, many around baseball already view the salary cap debate as one of the biggest threats to labor peace, and potentially the issue most likely to trigger another lockout.