Endless slump puts $140M Red Sox slugger's future in question

This season, the Boston Red Sox-Trevor Story saga finally appeared to be reaching a much-awaited climax. At the height of his 2025 campaign on April 21, the Red Sox shortstop was hitting .337 and had five home runs.

However, less than a month later, Story’s statline has aged poorly. The 32-year-old two-time All Star is now slashing .234/.277/.353 with six home runs on the year and is cementing the theory that his $140 million contract is nothing short of a disaster.

Across his six seasons with the Rockies, Story posted a .272 batting average and racked up 158 home runs in 2,822 at-bats. But since joining the Red Sox in 2022, Story has battled relentless injuries, severely limiting his time on the diamond while his numbers continually suffered. In his career with the Red Sox, Story is hitting .232 with 27 home runs in 776 at-bats. When considering all factors, it seems like trading Story is out of the question. Nonetheless, with his continued struggles plaguing his numbers, it appears to only be a matter of time before his position is usurped.

In Triple-A, budding shortstop Marcelo Mayer — Boston’s No. 2 prospect (No. 8 prospect overall, according to MLB Pipeline) — has excelled, hitting .282 with eight home runs. Mayer has been a prized gem in the Red Sox farm system since they drafted him in 2021. With his arrival imminent, the infield is due for a shuffle. What does this mean for Story?

With the season-ending injury to first baseman Triston Casas leaving a massive opening, Boston has been scrambling to find a suitable replacement. The job had initially been offered to Rafael Devers, but it was quickly turned down. With Mayer ready to enter a packed infield, it would appear logical if Story was next in line for the open first base position. However, this will also depend on the promotion of Roman Anthony and the return of Masataka Yoshida, which may shuffle the roster in an unpredictable manner. Regardless of the shift, one would think the Red Sox will at least try Story at first sometime this season.

But beyond 2025, Story’s future is a little more uncertain. Story’s contract comes with an opt-out clause after the season is over. If he chooses to stay with the Red Sox, he is set to earn $50 million over the next two years, a raise of $5 million annually, after which lies a club option, one the Red Sox likely won’t hesitate to decline.

Should Story opt in, he will likely be relegated to a bench role if he can’t at least partially vindicate his hefty contract this season. If he were to opt out, his career would enter a point beyond speculation. For now, he needs to make the most of his time as the Red Sox shortstop and capitalize on the potential opportunity to be their first baseman should it arise.