Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story will undergo surgery for a dislocated left shoulder, likely ending his season, and pitcher Nick Pivetta has a strained right flexor, adding to a series of elbow injuries among pitchers.
Story, a two-time All-Star with the Colorado Rockies, dislocated his left shoulder Friday at the Los Angeles Angels and was put on the 10-day injured list. His recovery time is estimated to be six months.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow said it's hard to predict beyond that, but he indicated that the recovery will take some time.
Pivetta was placed on the 15-day IL, with the decision backdated to Saturday.
Story got injured when he hit the ground hard while making a backhand stop on Mike Trout’s single in the fourth inning. He writhed in pain after landing on his shoulder.
Trevor Story, who is 31 years old and in the third season of a $140 million, six-year contract, was hitting .226 with four RBIs in eight games. He has a .265 average with 177 home runs and 534 RBIs over nine major league seasons, but his performance has been less impressive during his time with the Red Sox. He had a limited number of games in 2022 due to injuries and had surgery for a torn UCL last year.
Breslow emphasized the significance of Story’s loss, acknowledging his defensive contribution to the team and expressing confidence in his offensive potential. He also mentioned Story's leadership and the impact he can still have on the team despite his absence from the field.
Unfortunately, it seems that Story will not be able to contribute on the field at the moment.
While Story is out, manager Alex Cora plans to rotate players at shortstop and second base.
Breslow stated that they are committed to giving internal options a chance and will continue to evaluate the situation.
Pivetta, with a 1-1 record and 0.82 ERA, has made two starts this season, allowing one run and eight hits over 11 innings with 13 strikeouts. He last pitched on April 3 at Oakland and reported issues recovering between starts to the training staff.
He was supposed to start on Wednesday. The Red Sox called up left-hander Brennan Bernardino from Triple-A Worcester to take Pivetta’s place on the roster.
Breslow expressed confidence in the remaining players' ability to sustain their early season success.
Breslow noted the balancing act between the excitement of the team's recent performance and the challenge of losing key players. He emphasized the unity and empathy in the clubhouse, particularly for Story, given his past struggles with injuries.
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