News and notes from around Red Sox Nation.
Trevor Story has been bad this year. Pretty, pretty bad. A player with an OBP below .300 is a player who probably shouldn’t have a starting job in the big leagues unless they are truly special in the field and surrounded by a strong lineup. And while Story continues to be a good glove man, it feels like his time as the Red Sox starting shortstop is winding down while Marcelo Mayer wraps up finishing school at AAA. Story himself is very aware of this dynamic and has seen it play out before, with him in the role of the up-and-coming infielder. So in light of that, he seems prepared to take everything stride. (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Speaking of veteran ballplayers facing a transition, Alex Cora was once again asked about whether Rafael Devers might play first base; his answer this time indicated that they might be heading in that direction after all. Given that we’re only a few months removed from Cora insisting to the media that Devers was his third baseman despite the addition of Alex Bregman, this shouldn’t really surprise anyone. When it comes to player personnel moves, there’s really no reason for Cora to be forthright with the media, and no reason for us to read his answers as anything other than clubhouse management. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
And, hey, the Bregman addition is working out great so far. The third baseman blasted his 200th career homer last night. (Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic)
But Breggy wasn’t the only guy who had a big night against the Rangers yesterday; Wilyer Abreu also blasted two homers. One of those homers came off a lefty, and given Cora’s reluctance to let Wilyer face tough lefties last season, this seems like a significant developmental step for the young outfielder. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
In fact, last night’s win felt significant for the team as a whole, as it snapped a seven-game losing streak in games in decided by three or fewer runs. (Rob Bradford, WEEI)