3 Red Sox Still on Thin Ice After Surviving Winter Meetings

MLB fans know the league's Winter Meetings go hand-in-hand with big-time trades and free-agent signings. That was the case for the Boston Red Sox this year, who sent Alex Verdugo to the New York Yankees in a four-player trade before acquiring outfielder Tyler O'Neill from the St. Louis Cardinals for Nick Robertson and Victor Santos.

But just because the Red Sox pulled off two big trades doesn't mean Craig Breslow and Co. are finished with making moves. After all, a handful of players' future with the franchise is still up in the air after an underwhelming 2023 campaign.

With that in mind, here are three Red Sox who are still on thin ice following the Winter Meetings.

1. Trevor Story

Red Sox fans had high hopes for Trevor Story when he signed a massive six-year, $140 million contract back in March 2022. The fanbase's expectations were valid, though, considering how the shortstop finished 12th or better in NL MVP voting from 2018 to 2020.

Fast forward to the present and Story has been on the sidelines more often than not. His Boston tenure has been plagued by a series of injuries that have held him to a total of 137 games over the last two seasons. For reference, he played 142 for the Colorado Rockies in 2021 alone.

While injuries can be out of a player's control, it's not like Story has produced results when he's been healthy — especially in this past season. The 30-year-old suited up in 43 games with the Red Sox in 2023, tallying three home runs and 14 RBIs with a putrid .203/.250/.316 slash line. He was only one pace for 11 HRs in a 162-game campaign, which is how many he tallied in the 2020 COVID-shortened season.

The important thing is that Story owned up to his inconsistencies in October and knows that his first two seasons in Boston have been a dud. If he can't figure out a way to turn things around soon, it's hard to imagine him sticking with the franchise for the remainder of his contract.