Trevor Story’s season was cut short in April when the Boston Red Sox shortstop injured his shoulder while on the road against the Los Angeles Angels.
Instead, Story made progress after the All-Star break and was able to return to the Red Sox to assist Boston in any manner he could during the playoff drive in a winnable American League.
His outstanding shortstop defense strengthens the infield, while Ceddanne Rafaela, another top defender, takes over center field. Craig Breslow, the Red Sox’s chief baseball officer, recognized his leadership and defense as valuable assets.
“I think there’s the physical impact that he has on the team to be able to put his name in the lineup at shortstop every day,” Breslow said Tom Caron during NESN’s pregame show. “He has a very stabilizing, calming effect on the rest of the group.”
Breslow went on to say, “I believe there is an emotional effect that he offers. He was a man who emerged as a leader during spring training, both vocally and in terms of work ethic and daily preparation. To display his willingness and dedication to the club by returning to the field when most thought he was done for the season and having an impact on the rest of the squad.”
Story, who will get the night off Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles, will be a key element if the Red Sox can claw their way back into contention with less than 20 games left.
“We have not done it in the last month or month and a half. When we were heated, everyone was hitting balls all over the place. It simply happened that everyone is hurting at the same moment.”
Boston’s Tyler O’Neill was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts after blasting two home runs in a win on Monday.
Mullins made it 3-0 in the third inning by hitting a cutter from Kutter Crawford (8-14) deep into the right-field seats. This was his fifth career multi-homer game, the last being against Toronto on June 19, 2021.
Suárez (8-5) gave up four singles and two walks in his second-worst start of the season, allowing six runs in 4 1/3 innings against the White Sox on Wednesday.
“Very good changeups. “You needed it with that left-handed hitting lineup,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde explained. “A team that he had faced not that long ago and pitched really well against, you know that they were going to make adjustments.”
