Boston, MA – October 6: Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow listens to a question during the Red Sox end-of-season press conference with team leadership at Fenway Park on October 6, 2025. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Boston Red Sox broke a three-year playoff drought this year with a surprising second-half surge in the standings.
One clear catalyst for the team’s success was the promotion of several talented prospects, including Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony. But the team was also aided by a resurgence from veteran infielder Trevor Story, who has struggled to meet expectations since signing a six-year, $140 million contract with the team after a pair of All-Star seasons with the Colorado Rockies.
Story played 157 games for the Red Sox this past season, by far the most he has been able to play in any season since joining the team. And his .263/.308/.433 slash line marked his best production since a pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign that earned him votes for the Most Valuable Player Award.
Story’s resurgent season was certainly welcomed by the team, but it raised a surprising question for the player this offseason. After several years of underperforming his contract, he bounced back just before an opt-out clause could have allowed him to re-enter free agency and find a new deal elsewhere.
Story might have been able to find a longer contract as a free agent, but he declined that option and instead chose a return to the Red Sox that will earn him $55 million over the next two years. In his first public comments about that decision, Story made it clear that he was focused on loyalty to the team.
“At this point in my career, it’s not about making decisions based on money,” Story said, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “To me, it’s pretty simple. There’s not another organization I want to be a part of. I’m just in love with the place, and got some unfinished business.”
Story’s return sets an important tone for the rest of the Red Sox offseason. The team can now focus on fleshing out its infield, as veteran third baseman Alex Bregman has opted out of his contract and will need to be re-signed or replaced and first base remains a significant question.
“From the Red Sox’ perspective, it at least provides one sure thing in an infield full of question marks,” Michael Hurley wrote of Story’s return for NBC Sports Boston. “Taken together, the Red Sox have a number of unresolved situations around the infield.”
But with Story making his decision and emphasizing his affection for the organization, the Red Sox can work to resolve those remaining gaps with some strong momentum.