Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning before the Red Sox home opener, manager Alex Cora said there is “concern” regarding the “bone structure” of Trevor Story’s shoulder, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.
Story landed awkwardly on his shoulder during last Friday’s game against the Angels and wound up on the 10-day injured list the next day with what the team called a “left shoulder dislocation.”
The shortstop will meet with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion, with shoulder surgery a possibility, per Speier.
According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Cora plans to run with a pair of platoons in the middle infield going forward.
The lefty-batting David Hamilton and righty-batting Romy Gonzalez will split time at shortstop, while the lefty-batting Pablo Reyes and righty-batting Enmanuel Valdez share duties at second base.
Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela is another option for either position. While Rafaela already looks like a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center, the Red Sox have significantly more outfield depth than infield depth right now.
Jarren Duran can slide over to center field, while Tyler O’Neill and Wilyer Abreu cover the corners.
Cora also mentioned that Vaughn Grissom will take reps at shortstop during his upcoming rehab assignment, per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe.
The plan is still for Grissom to primarily play second base, per McCaffrey, but he has plenty of minor league experience at short, and the Red Sox could be all hands on deck if their veteran shortstop undergoes surgery.
Story knew right away he had a “significant injury,” per Christopher Smith of MassLive, but as of the weekend, he had not yet given up hope that he would return in 2024.
The second opinion he receives from Dr. ElAttrache, though, could mark the end of his season. Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell needed surgery after a similar injury last April and returned for just the final four games of the year.
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