Red Sox 2-Time All-Star's Big Spring Could Be X-Factor For Boston

The Red Sox have a lot of talent and could surprise some people...

Jun 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; A bucket of baseballs sits on the grass before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the San Diego Padres at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

We are just about three weeks away from Opening Day across Major League Baseball.

The Boston Red Sox will begin their season on March 27th against the Texas Rangers. March is here now and there's already a lot to like about this Boston team. One caveat is that Spring Training games have had a small sample size. While this is the case, there has been some very positive takeaways.

Most of the praise and chatter has been about newcomers like Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman. They aren't the only ones impressing, though. One guy who has stood out is shortstop Trevor Story. His signing was a pretty big deal ahead of the 2022 season. But, he hasn't been able to stay healthy since. The Red Sox haven't had a full season of him at his best.

When Story is healthy, he absolutely is a game-changer. Story is phenomenal defensively and has the capability to be a near-.300 hitter with nearly 30 home runs. That's the type of player he was with the Colorado Rockies but that hasn't been the case with Boston.

He's healthy now, though, and has looked like a true X-factor throughout Spring Training. He's appeared in five games and is slashing .429/.467/.643. He has six base hits in 14 at-bats. He's hit the ball hard and has three doubles and two RBIs.

Again, this is a very small sample size. Plus, it's Spring Training so obviously it doesn't count for the regular season. But it's hard to not get excited about him. If this is the player the Red Sox are going to have in 2025, that would be massive.

Boston's lineup was pretty lefty-heavy last year which is why the Red Sox went out and got the right-handed Bregman. Bregman should be great in 2025, but if Story can stay healthy and play like himself, he could take the team to another level. Defense has been an issue for Boston so obviously a healthy Story could help with that. But, if he's going to hit like he did in Colorado, there's no reason why the Red Sox can't have the best lineup in the American League.

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