Purple Sox
Story had a robust outing in his first recreation since present process elbow surgical procedure in January.
Trevor Story gave the Purple Sox a motive to be excited in his first rehab recreation since he had elbow surgical procedure in January.
The veteran center infielder went 1-for-2 with a stroll with Double-A Portland on Friday. His lone hit was an enormous one: an enormous shot over the left fence at Hadlock Subject for a three-run residence run within the fifth inning to offer the Sea Canine a 6-1 lead within the fifth inning.
Story didn’t solely make spotlight performs along with his bat. He additionally performed shortstop for the primary time since 2021 after solely enjoying second base final season.
With Marcelo Mayer transferring to 3rd base, Story confirmed he nonetheless has the vary and arm wanted to play quick on a play within the third when he went to his proper and was in a position to gun down the baserunner at first.
Story’s day ended following his fifth-inning residence run, when he was pulled as deliberate. He expressed gratitude when talking to reporters after placing on a great exhibiting in his first recreation since September of final season.
“It was type of surreal, enjoying in an actual recreation,” Story mentioned. “It’s been a very long time coming, I really feel like. You set in lots of work to get thus far. Nonetheless not executed, however undoubtedly an enormous step in the fitting path.
“I felt like a child on the market once more, competing. I’ve been trying ahead to that for a very long time.”
Hitting residence runs definitely isn’t a shock to Story. He slugged at the least 24 of them in every of the six seasons he was with the Rockies (outdoors of the COVID-shortened 2020 season) and hit 16 in 94 video games with the Purple Sox final yr.
Story might sense one coming in Friday’s recreation after he flew out to left area earlier. He labored the rely full in his fifth-inning at-bat earlier than belting one over the fence.
“I felt like I used to be seeing the ball properly and getting some good swings off,” Story mentioned. “Made the adjustment there on the finish, and yeah, homers are all the time good.”
Clearly, the large concern round Story is how his arm is holding up over seven months following his operation. The type of surgical procedure may need been unfamiliar to some as he opted to go for an inner brace surgical procedure as a substitute of Tommy John surgical procedure to restore the UCL in his proper elbow. An inner brace surgical procedure permits for a faster rehab course of and Story felt simply fantastic after his first recreation.
“It feels nice,” Story mentioned of his arm. “We’ve been doing lots of attempting to simulate game-like throws. That’s my bread and butter, type of throwing on the run like that. So obtained two balls like that at this time to type of break the ice.”
Whereas Story obtained off to a great begin and is feeling properly, his return to the majors isn’t occurring for a bit. The plan is for him to comply with his standard spring coaching routine to prepare for the season: 20 video games and 50 at-bats.
Nonetheless, Story implied that he might return a bit before the timeline suggests.
“We’re type of within the thick of a race proper now so that would change issues,” Story mentioned. “However I feel once I really feel snug timing-wise and all issues included to return, then we are going to. I feel we’ve executed lots of work to attempt to lower that timeline down as I’m enjoying these video games. So I be ok with that. Clearly, at this time was a great step.”
The Purple Sox might definitely use Story’s assist. He was their major plan at shortstop following Xander Bogaerts’s departure final offseason. However the surgical procedure delayed that, and Boston has performed musical chairs at shortstop all season lengthy because of this.
Regardless of some inconsistent and generally poor play at quick, the Purple Sox have hung within the thick of issues within the playoff race. Getting into Saturday, they’re 2.5 video games out of the ultimate wild-card spot within the American League.
Story is beginning to really feel like he’s getting shut to creating his big-league return, although he acknowledges it’s nonetheless a step-by-step course of.
“One other step on this complete development that now we have,” Story mentioned. “It’s been seven months since surgical procedure. It’s felt actually lengthy at occasions. I really feel like now we’re type of to the purpose the place lots of the enjoyable stuff occurs.”
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