Trevor Story key to Red Sox 2024 hopes

 Little is expected of the Red Sox in 2024.

Lucas Giolito, the team's biggest offseason signing, is already lost for the year. He suffered a partially torn UCL in his right elbow, undergoing surgery to have an internal brace for his elbow. While Giolito is hoping to return for the start of the 2025 season, that does not help a rotation that was already riddled with questions coming into this season.

There is still a path for the Red Sox to find success - the defense should be improved. Tyler O'Neill has typically been a strong defensive left fielder, having saved 25 runs in left over his career. His presence allows the Red Sox to push former left fielder Masataka Yoshida into a full-time DH role, a position he is better suited for. Vaughn Grissom has not graded out well defensively at second base in the majors but he has just 94 games of experience at the position between the majors and minors. Despite the additions, Trevor Story will be the key to the Red Sox defensive success.

When healthy, Story is one of the better defensive shortstops in baseball. He saved 77 runs at short during parts of seven years at the position, leading the NL in 2019. Story saved seven runs at short in 2023, the eighth-best mark in the majors, despite just 36 appearances at the position. 

Story is also a key to the Red Sox lineup. He has proven to be a solid power and speed threat, reaching the 20 homer/20 steals club three times. The Red Sox lineup is centered around Yoshida leading off, with third baseman Rafael Devers and first baseman Triston Casas providing the power. Story had hit at least 24 homers in five of his six years in Colorado before that streak was interrupted by the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

The problem is that Story has not been healthy. He was hampered by elbow troubles in 2022 which necessitated his move to second. Story underwent elbow surgery in January 2023, leaving him to appear in just 46 games last season. If Story can come close to being the player he was with the Rockies, when he posted a .272/.340/.523 batting line with 158 homers and 180 doubles while stealing 100 bases in his 3136 plate appearances, he would go a long way to extending the lineup.

The Red Sox still hope to contend in 2024. Trevor Story's health could make the difference.