Trevor Story’s opt-in adds a little clarity to shape of Red Sox for 2026

Trevor Story’s opt-in adds a little clarity to shape of Red Sox for 2026 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

When it comes to the lineup and rotation of the 2026 Boston Red Sox, the unknowns may outweigh the knowns. With trade possibilities looming and free-agent decisions to be made, Craig Breslow and Co. have a lot of work to do in the coming months to try to build a winner.

Some clarity came on Tuesday, though, when Trevor Story opted in to the final two years of his contract, according to several reports.

The decision was largely expected, as Story is due $25 million in each of the next two seasons. His deal also has a $25 million club option for 2028, with a $5 million buyout if the team opts to move on from the shortstop. Essentially, Story and his agents believed a guaranteed $55 million was a safer bet than going to market and seeking more.

For a soon-to-be 33-year-old who just had his first healthy season since 2021, that’s surely a smart move.

From the Red Sox’ perspective, it at least provides one sure thing in an infield full of question marks.

Alex Bregman, who shared the left side of the infield with Story last year, opted out of his contract. Bregman and agent Scott Boras are banking on a team willing to go above and beyond the $80 million that was left on his Red Sox deal. And even though Bregman will be 32 years old in March and missed seven weeks with a quad injury last season, he was productive and played exceptional defense at third base, potentially making him pricier than the Red Sox are willing to go this winter.

The backup plan if Bregman gets a big-money deal elsewhere is most likely Marcelo Mayer, who was called up to the majors after Bregman’s injury last May. Though the fourth overall pick of the 2021 draft got off to a slow start, he posted a .788 OPS in June and registered 11 extra-base hits over the final 100 at-bats of his season. He may be ready to play every day … if he can stay healthy.

A wrist injury (suffered on a check swing) limited him to just 87 games between Triple-A and Boston last year. He played in just 77 games in 2024 and 78 games in 2023. The Red Sox haven’t indicated their level of concern for Mayer’s proclivity for injury, but it’s a worthwhile question to wonder if they’d be motivated to trade Mayer if it helped land a frontline starting pitcher like Joe Ryan.

Either way, while the Red Sox might like to pencil in Mayer at third (or second) base next season, it doesn’t feel like a sure thing.

And all of that only covers one side of the infield. The other side’s even messier.

Six players spent time at second base in 2025.

One of them — Ceddanne Rafaela — just won the Gold Glove in center field. He should get the Rafael Devers treatment of being told to put his infielder’s glove away permanently.

One was David Hamilton, who posted a .590 OPS. Another was Romy Gonzalez, who’s primarily a platoon player who can hit lefties. One was Nick Sogard, and the other was the biggest question mark of them all: Kristian Campbell.

Campbell, of course, started the season in the majors, batted .423 in his first eight games, signed a long-term contract, and then struggled mightily offensively and defensively before getting sent down to Worcester in mid-June. He never made his way back to the big leagues.

Just like with Mayer, the Red Sox would like to pencil in Campbell as an everyday big leaguer in 2026, but his .799 OPS in 73 Triple-A games last year doesn’t indicate that he’s necessarily ready for that role.

And then there’s first base.

Triston Casas manned the position before his season-ending knee injury, though he was hitting just .182 through 29 games when he went down. At this point in his career (he made his MLB debut in 2022 and has played 251 games), Casas may simply not be the player the Red Sox hoped he’d be by now.

Gonzalez and Abraham Toro tried to hold down first base in the months that followed, but it wasn’t until the DFA’d Nathaniel Lowe was signed in August that the position was somewhat stabilized.

The Red Sox will surely be looking for an upgrade from “somewhat stabilized” at first base next year. With a number of free agents available — with Pete Alonso, Josh Naylor and Ryan O’Hearn atop the list — the Red Sox could solve this one with money. Just like with Mayer and Campbell, the team can’t feel overly confident relying on Casas.

Taken together, the Red Sox have a number of unresolved situations around the infield. And that’s ignoring the fact that they have four starting-caliber outfielders in Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran, and a designated hitter in Masataka Yoshida with a sub-.700 OPS.

As previously stated, a busy winter begins now for Breslow and the front office. But at the very least, they know for now that their shortstop will be Trevor Story.

That is, unless like he did in 2022, and again in 2023, and again in 2024, he suffers a significant injury.

In that sense, the only real sure thing learned on Tuesday is that the Red Sox will continue to pay Story a boatload of money while hoping for the best.

Opening Day is a mere 142 days away. The clock is officially ticking.