The Boston Red Sox have defied the odds all season, surging into a Wild Card spot and becoming one of the American League’s best teams, despite playing with key stars on the shelf for what feels like forever. They’ve built something real, a gritty squad battling through adversity. But here’s the kicker, folks: the probable first big name to return, Trevor Story, might mess up everything they’ve built and completely derail their hard-earned momentum.
Story’s Rehab Slashline Is A Straight-Up Mess
Right now, Story is grinding it out at AAA, doing rehab alongside backup shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa. And what we’re seeing is not pretty. In his rehab games, Story has had 13 at-bats, managing only three hits for a 3-for-13 line. Worse? Zero walks, and a whopping four strikeouts. That’s a .231/.231/.231/.462 slashline. For context, his pre-injury numbers this season weren’t exactly setting the world on fire either, at .206/.244/.303/.547. These are numbers nowhere near acceptable for MLB standards. Why even consider bringing him back when he’s not even close to his prior form? It makes zero sense to call him up over guys who are performing much better.
Why Bringing Story Back Is A Disaster Waiting To Happen
Some fans are already calling Story’s cringeworthy start an actual disaster, and honestly, who can blame them? When Story and IKF went down, Boston dug deep, and guys like Andruw Monasterio and Nick Sogard stepped up huge, bringing much-needed offense. They kept the team afloat, even thriving! If Story comes back now, one of these guys is losing crucial playing time, or worse, getting sent back down. You’re going to pull a guy who’s actively contributing for someone who’s clearly struggling and showing no signs of improvement? That’s a recipe for disaster.
Or, You Call Up The Future Franchise Player
But there’s a brilliant alternative if Boston wants more offensive help in the middle infield, and it’s certainly not Trevor Story. Franklin Arias, their top prospect, has been absolutely dominating AA all season long. He got his well-deserved promotion to AAA at the beginning of this month, and since then, he’s been on fire. Arias is slashing .291/.357/.488/.846 with five doubles, four home runs, and 22 RBI in just 22 games. This kid is the real deal! Arias is a shortstop, a top four player in all the major prospect rankings, and he’s widely considered Boston’s future franchise player at the position. Bringing him up for an October push? That’s not just a smart move, that’s Boston’s best move, hands down.
The Red Sox have a massive decision looming, and it could define their season. Do they stubbornly bring back a struggling veteran like Trevor Story and risk unraveling their entire Wild Card surge? Or do they make the smart play, trust the hot hand, and call up a future star in Franklin Arias who’s clearly ready for the big leagues? Their precious October push hangs in the balance, and it’s going to be wild to see which way they go with this one. Get ready for some drama, Boston fans!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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