BOSTON — As Romy Gonzalez crossed home plate to seal the Red Sox’s dramatic 4-3 walk-off win over the Tigers on Friday night, Trevor Story was the first teammate there to celebrate. Moments later, he sprinted toward third base to congratulate Ceddanne Rafaela, fully soaking in a moment that had been a long time coming.
The victory officially clinched Boston’s first playoff appearance since 2021. But for Story, the moment carried extra weight. His journey to this point has been marked by frustration, doubt, and injury—making this celebration feel especially rewarding.
When Story signed a 6-year, $140 million deal with the Red Sox in 2022, he envisioned October baseball, packed Fenway crowds, and championship chases. Instead, his first three seasons were marred by injury: limited to just 94 games in 2022, 43 in 2023, and only 26 last year. He had yet to play a single postseason game in a Red Sox uniform and was beginning to look like a cautionary tale for big free-agent signings.
Coming into 2025, even after a dedicated offseason, his role wasn’t guaranteed. He struggled out of the gate, sparking questions about whether top prospect Marcelo Mayer should take over at shortstop. A rough start in the season-opening series only added fuel to the debate.
But manager Alex Cora stood by the veteran, and Story responded. A hot streak in late April reignited his season, and from there, he never looked back.
By year’s end, Story had reclaimed his reputation—finishing with a .265 batting average, a team-leading 25 home runs, 96 RBIs, and 31 stolen bases. Most importantly, he played in 155 games, becoming a dependable force in a youthful, evolving lineup.
For Story, just being healthy and contributing consistently was already a huge personal victory. But being in a pennant race—and helping lead it—was the moment he had been chasing since arriving in Boston.
His previous postseason experience was limited to a brief run with the Rockies in 2017. Despite a solid .318 playoff average, he’d played just five postseason games. Now, with Boston back in contention, he finally has another chance at the October stage he’d longed for.
“More than you can imagine,” Story said, reflecting on what the moment meant to him. “I know now how special it really is.”
As he rushed the field Friday night, seeing Gonzalez score the winning run, a wave of relief and joy swept over him.
“Just a lot of joy, obviously. Relief that we’re in,” he said. “All the bad luck and injuries — it all went away tonight.”
With champagne pouring and teammates celebrating around him, Story allowed himself a moment of reflection and gratitude.
“It means a lot,” he said. “I signed here to be a good player, to play in October, to win games and to win a World Series. Now we’ve got a chance to do that.”
In a season defined by comebacks—for both Story and the Red Sox—the veteran shortstop has proven that he’s far from done. And now, finally, the road leads back to the postseason.
