WORCESTER — Trevor Story's return to the Boston Red Sox took a big step forward on Sunday. Story, who has been on the Red Sox' injured list since May 15 with a sports hernia, began an injury rehab assignment with the Worcester Red Sox for their final game of a six-game series at Polar Park. After working out with WooSox staff on Friday, Story went 1 for 2 with a single while playing four innings of shortstop for Triple-A Worcester on Sunday. "It's great. I love it man. Every time I miss the game, or I'm hurt and don't get to play, I realize how much I love it," Story told media from inside the WooSox clubhouse. "So, that's a big one for me and like I said, getting that first (rehab game) out of the way is huge."
Story played in 41 games for the Red Sox this season batting .206 with 3 HR and 19 RBIs before landing on the injured list and eventually getting surgery to repair his sports hernia injury. The 33-year-old infielder said he was working on change of direction and all out sprints as his final boxes to check on his rehab. "Feeling good. Good to get that first one out of the way. Body feels good," Story said after coming out of the WooSox game following the fourth inning. "… Good day to get the game legs back. So, all in all, really good. So, I'm happy with it." Story rehabbed with the WooSox in both 2023 (right elbow) and 2024 (left shoulder) before remaining relatively healthy in 2025.
Last year, Story performed well for the Red Sox — hitting .263 with 25 homers and 96 RBIs in 157 games. He also tied a Major League record with 31 consecutive stolen bases and his 20-plus homer and 20-plus stolen base season was the third ever by a Red Sox shortstop, joining John Valentin (27 HR and 20 SB in 1995) and Nomar Garciaparra (30 HR and 22 SB in 1997) on that list. With the Red Sox (66-57) two games back of the Yankees for the top wild card spot in the American League, and 5½ games clear of Texas Rangers for the third spot, Story hopes to return soon to Boston to help with their playoff push. "That's the goal, right? To come back in like we did last year and play in the playoffs and make a run. I think we've shown what we can do," Story said. "We have some of our key pieces coming back. So, I'm excited about that, excited to fit back into the mix and the boys are playing well, and I'm proud of the way that we've turned this around."
A two-time National League All-Star with the Colorado Rockies, Story signed a six-year free agent deal with the Red Sox in 2022. The former first-round draft pick is in his 16th professional season after being selected by the Rockies with the No. 45 overall pick in 2011. Across 1,106 big-league games with Colorado (2016-2021) and Boston (2022-2026), Story has a career average of .262 with 207 HR and 655 RBIs to go with 164 stolen bases. Story will now travel with the WooSox to New York, where they will open a six-game series against the Syracuse Mets on Tuesday. —Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: See how Trevor Story feels after beginning rehab stint with WooSox