“It’s time to go,” Trevor Story said Monday afternoon.
After a long recovery from UCL surgery, the veteran infielder will be activated on Tuesday, and finally begin his journey as Boston’s everyday shortstop.
Story, who signed a 6-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox in March 2022, has been rehabbing from internal brace surgery back in early January. The procedure’s recovery timetable is about half that of Tommy John, but still cost the 30-year-old infielder more than two-thirds of the season.
While Story originally targeted last Friday as his return date, Alex Cora announced last week that the infielder wanted to use more of his allotted rehab assignment, which doesn’t expire until Wednesday. Given his long recovery and the fact that he spent most of 2022 at second base, it’s no wonder Story wanted to utilize that time to get comfortable at his natural position before rejoining the team.
“Just kind of a mini spring training, if you will,” he said, describing his rehab assignment with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.
For Story, who hasn’t played in a major league game since last Sept. 11, this week has been a long time coming. But he won’t be diving into the deep end right away; this week, he says he’ll start by playing every other day, before hopefully getting in back-to-back games next week.
“My whole career, I’ve based it on playing every day, that’s a big calling card of mine, I take a lot of pride in that,” he said, “but circumstances are a little different right now. We want to be smart about it, and to be able to play, you know, there’s some restrictions, if you will.”
There is, however, a chance that he’ll serve as the designated hitter as well.
“Anything, anything we can do to get in the lineup, I think that’s definitely on the table,” he added. “Yeah, definitely some DH in the future.”
Story overlapped with Chris Sale, who is also nearing a return from his own rehab assignment.
“He dominated the last start. He looked like Chris Sale,” Story said with a smile.
Speaking of Sale, Cora said Tuesday afternoon “there is a good chance” the veteran left-hander will be activated in time to start Friday’s game. He’s been on the 60-day injured list since the beginning of June.
The Red Sox did very little at last week’s trade deadline, and as they have lost four in a row since that date, criticism has gotten louder. But on the eve of his return, and with Sale, Tanner Houck, and Garrett Whitlock getting closer to doing the same, Story sees this as a turning point for the team.
“We got some reinforcements coming,” he said. “Kind of a mini trade deadline, in itself.”
Injury updates
Garrett Whitlock will throw in Worcester on Wednesday. If all goes according to plan, that 3-inning outing will be his entire rehab assignment. Cora confirmed the right-hander will join the bullpen when he returns to Boston.
After a rough first rehab start over the weekend, Tanner Houck (facial fracture) will go again on Thursday.
Corey Kluber (shoulder inflammation) is with the team in Boston, but is shut down indefinitely, his manager said on Tuesday.
Roster moves
Dinelson Lamet was in the Red Sox clubhouse on Monday afternoon, and within the hour, the team announced that they’d selected his contract.
Lamet was a top San Diego Padres starting pitching prospect and finished fourth in 2020 National League Cy Young voting, but his career has been a bumpy ride. He owns a 4.61 ERA across 117 career major league games between the Padres and Colorado Rockies. He allowed 33 runs in 25 2/3 innings for the latter this season, faring much between on their Triple-A team and Boston’s.
In order to clear a roster spot for the right-hander, the Red Sox designated lefty Richard Bleier. Acquired from the Miami Marlins in exchange for fellow reliever Matt Barnes, Bleier posted a 5.28 ERA across 27 appearances out of the Boston bullpen.
The 40-man roster is currently at 39.
Big promotion
Kyle Teel is already moving up in the organization.
Less than a week after his professional debut in the rookie-level Florida Complex League, a source confirmed to the Herald that the Red Sox have promoted their first-round pick (14th overall) to High-A Greenville. In three FCL games, he went 3-for-7 with six total bases, a home run, two runs scored, two RBI, two walks, and zero strikeouts.
SoxProspects.com ranks him the No. 5 prospect in the organization’s farm system.
