BOSTON — Trevor Story’s start to the 2026 season has become a familiar kind of problem for the Red Sox, and one they have not solved yet. He went 1-for-3 on Tuesday in Boston’s 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving him at.203 with a.528 OPS through 39 games.
Story did not hide from the slump. He said it is tough to go through in the moment, but added that he still believes he can work out of it because he has done it before. He called the situation very similar to last year and said he stays optimistic because it can change with one game or even one pitch. “I’m not going to sit here and pout about it,” he said. “I’m not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself.”
The numbers show why the conversation around Story keeps following him. After a poor opening stretch last season, he recovered in late May and finished with a.263 average, a.741 OPS and 25 homers. This year has been worse, and the frustration has spread to the field as well. Story snapped a personal 20-game errorless streak on Sunday with a fielding error against the Tampa Bay Rays, and the play that was initially ruled on him has since been removed but is likely to be added back after review.
Boston has mostly used Story fifth under interim manager Chad Tracy, who took over three weeks ago after the firings of Alex Cora and five coaches. Before Tuesday’s game, Tracy was asked whether there might be changes to the infield, a question that pointed to Marcelo Mayer and the larger uncertainty around how the Red Sox will line up if Story keeps struggling. For now, the club has stayed with its current setup.
Story said he does not have a simple explanation for what is going wrong. “I think if I knew exactly what it was, I would fix it right away,” he said. “But that’s not baseball.” He said there is a lot involved physically, mentally and effort-wise, and added that the pregame work has been strong even if the results have not followed once the game starts. “The work is great,” Story said. “Then the game comes and it hasn’t been executed in the game.”
Defensively, the Red Sox have been one of the league’s best teams overall, leading baseball with 37 Defensive Runs Saved and ranking second with 15 Outs Above Average. Story’s own metrics have lagged behind that standard, with minus-2 Outs Above Average and zero Defensive Runs Saved this season. He has totaled four errors. The contrast leaves Boston in an uncomfortable spot: the team is winning the bigger defensive battle, but one of its most important infielders is still searching for consistency in both directions.
Story said he does not intend to dwell on it and believes the answer will come in the work. The Red Sox do not have to decide today whether this is a short-term slump or something deeper, but every quiet night from Story makes that choice harder to avoid.
