ST. LOUIS — The Red Sox are sticking with trevor story at shortstop despite an uneven opening stretch in the field, team on Friday night ET. Story entered the game against the Cardinals with three errors in 11 games, and the club said the answer is patience, not a position switch. The message from inside the dugout was direct: Trevor Story remains the shortstop, even after a rough first week on defense.
Red Sox keep faith in Trevor Story
Manager Alex Cora said the club still likes what it sees from Story, even with the miscues. Cora pointed to his range and his long track record, saying the outcome has been inconsistent but the shortstop is still the shortstop. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow added that Story has worked through similar stretches before and usually comes out of them quickly, both defensively and at the plate.
Story said the errors were tied to footwork and throwing, and he believes he has corrected those issues. He described his style at shortstop as “almost freestyle, ” saying he tries to stay athletic and use his strengths rather than make every play look a certain way. He also said he feels good now after what he called a bad first week.
Why the middle infield plan has not changed
The organization had already made its position clear in the offseason. Breslow said Story would be the Red Sox shortstop in 2026, and the team would not entertain moving Marcelo Mayer to his natural position while shifting Story elsewhere. Breslow said the goal was to bring stability and certainty into spring training and to avoid additional uncertainty around the infield.
That stance matters because the club sees Story as a player who can stabilize the defense when he is locked in. Breslow said that when Story was on the field at shortstop last year, he was very stabilizing and had a great season for the team. The front office believes that keeping him in one spot gives the roster a clearer structure around him.
Trevor Story and the lineup rotation
While the defense drew attention, Cora also continued rotating his outfield and designated hitter options. Roman Anthony sat for a second time in 13 games, while Jarren Duran played left field and Masataka Yoshida served as the DH. Cora said the club plans to keep playing everyone and noted that Anthony would play the next five games through the end of the road trip.
The lineup decision underscores how the Red Sox are trying to balance production, rest, and consistency across the roster. Duran went 0 for 4, and Yoshida finished 1 for 3 with a run scored.
What comes next for the Red Sox
The immediate test is whether Trevor Story can settle in defensively and build on the cleaner work he says is already showing up. Cora and Breslow both framed the issue as a short-term stretch, not a long-term alarm, and the club is moving forward with Story at shortstop. For now, the Red Sox are betting that patience will be enough to let trevor story reset and steady the position.
