Why?
It's the question that would seemingly be fair to ask both Trevor Story and the Red Sox when it comes to the planned move from second base to shortstop. This is, after all, a player who seemed like he found his peas-and-carrots position at second in 2022, representing defense at second the Sox hadn't seen since Dustin Pedroia.
Story was fifth-best among major league second baseman in Defensive Runs Saved despite playing in just 94 games. He also was in the 99th percentile of all big leaguers in Outs Above Average, turning in 10.
But, as Story explained on the 'Baseball Isn't Boring' podcast, second base was just a stopover. Shortstop has always been, and always will be, his true home. (It is a proclamation that he makes at the 12:20 mark of the podcast.)
Trevor Story: I'm a shortstop
"I really took the mentality of playing short over there (to second). I just truly believe I can do it at a high level," Story said of playing shortstop. "If I didn’t I think I would stay over at second. I really do know I have a lot of good years in me over there at short. I’m not ready to jump off that position when I feel I can do it at a high level.
"The positions are different. Same, but different. As I have taken way more ground balls at short, my more natural position, I feel my legs working really good, just having the momentum through the ball. At second you can be more of a goalie-style. There is not much big footwork. Throwing not the run. That’s my biggest attribute, I think, is my athleticism, so I’m trying to use that as much a I can. When I do that, things line up."
According to Statcast, Story's effectiveness at shortstop took a nose-dive during his most recent season at the position, in 2021. But a chunk of that can likely be chalked up to an ailing arm. Just two years before, he represented one of the best at the position, totaling 18 Outs Above Average while totaling the third-most Defensive Runs Saved (36) of any shortstop in the big leagues.
Story was happy to defer to Xander Bogaerts as long as the two were playing together. But now that is not the case, hence the focus on reuniting with his original spot.
"He was a big reason I came here. I have had crazy respect for his game on both sides of the ball and he was a big proponent for getting me here," Story said. "I switched positions to play beside him and as long as he was here, he was going to be the shortstop. Obviously, things didn’t work out that way. Now it’s different. Now he is not here it’s just kind of the natural selection of it."