Trevor Story's 2024 season is over, as shortstop will undergo shoulder surgery

BOSTON -- The worst-case scenario has been delivered for Trevor Story. The veteran shortstop's 2024 season is over.

Story will undergo surgery to repair the shoulder he injured over the weekend in Anaheim, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow announced on Tuesday, ahead of Opening Day at Fenway Park.

Breslow estimated the recovery time to be about six months for Story, thus eliminating the possibility of the shortstop returning to the field this season.

"Very significant. Not going to hide from what he's meant to this team defensively. Had full confidence that offensively, he was going to contribute as well," Breslow said. "Fortunately, he's emerged as a leader of this team and there's still going to be a way for him to positively impact it. Unfortunately, it just doesn't seem like it's going to be on the field right now."

The news marks another significant hit in Story's Red Sox career. He signed with the Red Sox ahead of the 2022 season on six-year, $140 million contract that runs through 2027 (with a 2028 club option). He played in just 94 games in his first year with the Red Sox, when he played second base with Xander Bogaerts at shortstop. Bogaerts left via free agency the following offseason, and Story ended up requiring elbow surgery the following offseason, limiting him to just 43 games in the 2023 season. And now the shoulder injury -- suffered while diving for a ball on Friday night against the Angels -- will end his 2024 season after just eight games played.

Story will end up playing just 145 total games in the first three years of his six-year contract with Boston.

With Story out of the picture for 2024, David Hamilton is on the MLB roster to fill in at shortstop. Romy Gonzalez, who was called up on Tuesday, will get some opportunities as well. Breslow added that second baseman Vaughn Grissom will "certainly get reps" at shortstop as he works back from an injury. 

"I think right now, we're committed to giving the internal options a chance," Breslow said. "I think it works out fairly well in terms of having left-handed and right-handed platoon options at both middle infield positions. We've got Romy here today. He was impressive this spring, gives us additional additional middle-infield depth. Hamilton obviously came up a couple of days ago and we saw how he can impact the game on both sides of the ball. And then with Pablo [Reyes] and [Enmanuel Valdez], we'll give this some run. We've got Vaughn starting the rehab assignment and he's another name certainly to add to the group. So I think it makes sense to let this play out a bit and we'll continue to evaluate."

Additionally, Ceddanne Rafaela -- an infielder who made the transition to center field -- likely won't be used in the infield on a regular basis.

"I think he'll get reps at second base, he'll get reps at shortstop, but it's really difficult to take him out of center field," Breslow said.