FORT MYERS, Fla. – With the Purple Sox evaluating second and third base choices for the second consecutive spring coaching, Trevor Story is the person within the center as soon as once more.
Taking questions for the primary time since he reported to camp earlier this week, the veteran shortstop made his needs clear with a press release that was diplomatic, however agency.
“Ideally you’d prefer to get a full spring camp in with the infield unit as we have now, simply to go over communication fashion and what guys like,” Story stated as he stood in entrance of his locker. “And people conversations are gonna be had, clearly, within the entrance workplace, and people guys are those which can be making that call. However yeah, hopefully sooner relatively than later. And I believe it’s simply higher for everyone.”
The middle of infield competitors facilities round Marcelo Mayer, Caleb Durbin, and Romy Gonzalez. Mayer and Durbin are figuring out at each spots. Gonzalez is behind the group after a setback in his restoration from final season’s shoulder ailment.
Mayer, 23, got here up by means of the Purple Sox system as a shortstop, however primarily manned third base in his rookie season. Known as as much as change an injured Alex Bregman final Could 24, Mayer performed 248.2 innings at third (39 video games), 57 innings at second, and three innings at brief. The Purple Sox are assured Mayer could be an on a regular basis participant at any of the three, although his damage historical past stays a trigger for concern.
Durbin, who turns 26 subsequent week, got here up by means of the minor leagues as a second baseman, however like Mayer, was blocked at his main place and spent the majority of his rookie season final 12 months taking part in third for the Milwaukee Brewers. Durbin lined the recent nook for 1,060.2 innings (131 video games), in addition to 43.1 innings at second and 4 at shortstop.
Different infield choices in big-league camp embody Kristian Campbell, Andruw Monasterio, and Anthony Seigler.
The newly-signed Isiah Kiner-Falefa is slated for a super-utility function, and may play almost each place on the sector. He’s slated to sub in on Story’s relaxation days.
Elbow and shoulder surgical procedures restricted Story to a mixed 69 video games between 2023-24, however he’s now coming off a 157-game season, which matches the career-high he set in 2018. He batted .263 with a .741 OPS, 29 doubles and 25 residence runs, and ranked within the 98th MLB percentile in Baserunning Run Worth, and 82nd percentile in dash pace.
But regardless of the workforce’s depth and flexibility, Story isn’t fascinated about taking extra breaks this season, one thing supervisor Alex Cora advised the Purple Sox will try, although he is aware of his shortstop will proceed to push again.
“I perceive the query and perceive sort of the load administration fashion of it, however yeah for me, I nonetheless really feel as sturdy as I’ve at any time in my profession,” Story stated. “Getting 115-plus video games has sort of been my aim each single season, and with the ability to do which means lots to me.”
“I believe it’s a typical to be set for, sort of, the younger guys too, such as you don’t actually take days off,” Story continued. “I don’t know if that’s the ‘previous head’ in me or what, however I believe that’s a mindset that it’s important to have on this recreation, as a result of it begins now, and hopefully you’re into November.”
Story enters this season because the place gamers’ most veteran chief by far. It’s a job he beforehand shared with Alex Bregman and Rob Refsnyder, who each departed in free company this winter.
“It’s powerful shedding two guys like that,” Story stated. “These guys are nice individuals, nice teammates, nice gamers, they usually introduced lots to our workforce. So we have now to determine a technique to make management go round just a little bit, and I believe a few of these guys must step up.”
“I suppose it’s a very good drawback to have when you may have guys which can be arising they usually must sort of develop into the participant and the chief that you just count on them to be,” he continued. “I’m all the time joyful to be the one sort of main that cost.”
The 33-year-old shortstop has one rule for his youthful teammates, who started calling him ‘Unc’ final 12 months. (Slang for ‘uncle,’ and used to explain males who’re getting previous or behaving in old style and out-of-touch methods.)
“I really feel nice, I really feel wonderful,” Story stated with a chuckle. “I simply, I allow them to know you can’t let ‘Unc’ beat you in a foot race, however that’s occurred.”
New Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin models his game after franchise legend
