The Boston Red Sox have nearly a full starting lineup of players on the injured list entering July. Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet are still nowhere near their returns to action, but an early-season, everyday starter who went on the IL after them could return before them.
The Red Sox in mid-May announced that Trevor Story had been dealing with a sports hernia throughout the beginning of the season. The shortstop on May 22 underwent surgery to repair the issue and his estimated return timeline from the date of the procedure was eight-to-12 weeks.
Interim manager Chad Tracy on June 28 vaguely updated Story's return timeline, saying it's "probably too optimistic" to believe he'll begin a rehab assignment before the All-Star break (via Tim Healey of The Boston Globe). Tracy's wording suggests it could come soon after, though.
Story told reporters shortly after his surgery that he felt quite good and like he could be closer to the eight-week timeline as opposed to the 12-week estimate. This year's All-Star break runs from July 13-16, about seven weeks after Story's surgery. The veteran could end up taking a lengthy rehab assignment once he's built up, as he hasn't appeared in a game since May 14.
Red Sox don't expect Trevor Story to go on rehab assignment until after All-Star break
Even with Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Marcelo Mayer on the IL with forearm injuries, most Sox fans are hardly looking forward to Story's return. Boston hoped to rely on Story to prop up its plans on both sides of the ball — as an elite defender and home run hitter after his 25 homer season last year — and it's hopes have not come to fruition.
Story was one of the worst players in baseball at the beginning of the season, with a .206/.244/.303 slash line, three outs below average and -2 defensive runs saved over 41 games. He's still tied for the team lead with six errors despite not playing for nearly two months.
Story told reporters that issues caused by his hernia dated back to spring training. Pain could've caused the regression in his play, and that's what the Red Sox should hope for. A return to 2025 Story would be the best possible outcome for Story's recovery, but there's no certainty that'll happen.
Story has never had as good a season in a Red Sox uniform as he had last year and Boston's management leaning on his continued production as a certainty should be considered a failure. But there's still a chance he could play better than he did before his injury, and any improvement will help the offensively struggling Sox.
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