Red Sox deliver worst possible news on Trevor Story and give updates on 3 other players

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story has been the subject of recent concern for fans. After he dove for a hard line drive off the bat of Mike Trout, Story was noticeably in pain and was pulled from Sunday's game.

Later, Boston confirmed Story was experiencing left shoulder pain and he was diagnosed with a shoulder subluxation. The shortstop was examined by Boston-area doctors upon his arrival home from Anaheim, and the Red Sox offered an update regarding the severity of Story's injury.

Skipper Alex Cora shared that doctors had concerns for Story's "bone structure" after his first examination and his injury status has also changed to include a fractured shoulder.

Story is scheduled to have surgery to repair his shoulder on April 12, which will likely be season-ending — the recovery time from the procedure is estimated to be six months, which would place his earliest possible return in October. Story was hoping to play his first full, healthy slate in a Red Sox uniform, but the veteran has been plagued by injuries since he arrived in Boston two seasons ago.

The Red Sox also announced that their No.2 starter, Nick Pivetta, has been placed on the 15-day IL with a right elbow flexor strain.

Pivetta's injury adds to the swath of pitchers who will miss time with elbow ailments this season. MLB players, fans and officials are debating the root cause of the uptick in elbow problems and the reasons range from the pitch clock to increased velocity and more.

Pivetta shot off to an incredible start for Boston and he was their best starting pitcher throughout its West Coast road trip. The right-hander has posted a 0.82 ERA with 13 strikeouts and just one walk in 11 innings. Brennan Bernardino has been called up to fill Pivetta's spot in the 40-man roster.

Before the Red Sox's home opener at Fenway Park on April 9, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow categorized Pivetta's strain as "minor," and he stated that the hope is for Pivetta to return to the lineup after his IL stint.

Red Sox provide grim Trevor Story update, bad news for Nick Pivetta, good news for Rob Refsnyder and Vaughn Grissom

The Red Sox lost a lot of players to injuries around the same time in spring training. One of those players was Rob Refsnyder. The outfielder fractured his pinky toe after he was hit by a pitch during a Grapefruit League game in mid-March.

Refsnyder will begin a rehab assignment with the WooSox on April 10. He will be present at Fenway Park's Opening Day festivities on the afternoon of April 9 and will travel to Syracuse to begin his assignment the following day. Worcester will play five games against the Syracuse Mets before returning home for a series against Triple-A Charlotte the next week.

Refsnyder will be a welcome addition to a lineup short on right-handed bats once he returns from his assignment. He specializes in hitting lefty pitching and he's used to getting on base in a lot of sticky situations for Boston.

The Sox also said that newly acquired second baseman Vaughn Grissom will be starting his rehab assignment soon. Grissom suffered a groin strain during spring training. He's another righty batter who will bring more versatility to Boston's batting order upon his return.

The infielder will get some reps at second base and shortstop during his assignment. The Red Sox have announced that they will platoon David Hamilton and Romy González at shortstop for the time being. It's within reason that Grissom, a natural shortstop, could get some starts there after his assignment is complete.

Overall, good news for Boston, but everyone will be waiting with bated breath on the next Trevor Story update.

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