BOSTON – When Trevor Story learned last weekend that he had a sports hernia, the only question was whether he would have surgery or take a more conservative recovery approach.
After soliciting three opinions, Boston’s veteran shortstop indeed underwent surgery on Thursday. The procedure was performed by Dr. William Meyers at The Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.
The club did not offer a timeline for a return for the 33-year-old, who on Saturday said "the basic prognosis is six to 10 weeks, give or take."
“I won't put a timeline on him. He's going to be down for a while,” said Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy. “That’s the easiest way to say it now. Range will depend on how he responds and reacts to it, but he's going to be down for a while. So, I texted with him yesterday. He's at home resting for a little while.”
During Story’s absence, Marcelo Mayer is expected to get the majority of reps at short, at least against right-handed pitching. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Nick Sogard (who started at short on Friday) and Andruw Monasterio are options against lefties.
While Story had been dealing with discomfort since Spring Training, the team had been labeling it as a right groin injury. Recently, Story underwent scans that revealed a more serious sports hernia injury, one that will keep him out of action for several weeks. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
Story, Boston’s veteran leader, has been one of several players on the club who have been slumping for most of the season. In 41 games and 165 at-bats, Story has a batting line of .206/.244/.303 with three homers, 19 RBIs, eight walks and 57 strikeouts.
“I hate to [use an excuse],” Story said on Saturday. “I'm not going to be blaming it all on that, but it plays a part, for sure. I think the main thing is getting it right, and I'm not so much worried about what has happened, and I’m more worried about problem-solving it and moving forward with the next steps, whatever that may be.”
While Story stayed healthy last season and hit like he did during his years with the Rockies, he’s had injuries that have forced him to miss significant time in his other Boston seasons, starting with his arrival in 2022.
The Red Sox are hopeful that a healthy Story can get back to the level he was at last year on offense and defense.
“Trevor is huge for this ballclub, obviously,” said Mayer. “It’s sad to see him go down, but wishing him the best recovery. I know he’s going to work hard to get back on the field as soon as possible.”