Trevor Story is headed to the injured list with a sports hernia, and the Red Sox are waiting on a second opinion before deciding whether surgery is next. The 33-year-old shortstop said the operation could keep him out six to 10 weeks, a timeline that would force Boston to manage a major hole in the middle of its infield.
Story said the injury first showed up in spring training as groin tightness, then spread in ways that made it hard to pin down. He missed three games, including Friday’s series-opening 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves, and testing earlier this week finally identified the problem as a sports hernia. “We’re trying to get the best information, not make a rushed decision,” Story said, adding that surgery is “not ideal or wanted” and that he is trying to navigate the issue as best he can with the information available. He said the pain began in different places, starting in the groin and bouncing to the hamstring and abdomen, which kept him from recognizing it as a sports hernia right away.
The timing matters because Story has been trying to play through the injury while also fighting at the plate and in the field. In 41 games, he is hitting.206 with a.547 OPS, three homers, seven doubles, four stolen bases and a 32.4 percent strikeout rate. He also has six errors, minus-1 Defensive Runs Saved and minus-3 Outs Above Average. For a player expected to anchor shortstop, that combination has left Boston scrambling for answers even before the medical decision is made.
The Red Sox reacted Saturday by recalling infielder Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester to replace Story on the roster. Sogard was hitting.269 with an.871 OPS in Worcester. Andruw Monasterio started at shortstop for Boston on Saturday, while Marcelo Mayer continued at second base after playing well there. Interim manager Chad Tracy said the club may eventually consider moving Mayer to short depending on how long Story is out, but he stressed that nothing like that is coming immediately. “I know the big question is Marcelo; everybody’s gonna want to know that,” 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.”
That leaves Boston in a familiar spot: waiting on the medical report while trying to keep the lineup stable. Story’s own description suggests the club is no longer dealing with a day-to-day issue but a problem that has lingered since spring training and may now require a longer interruption. If the second opinion points to surgery, the Red Sox will have to decide whether to ride out the absence with internal options or reshuffle the infield again around Mayer and Monasterio.
