The Boston Red Sox avoided a fourth straight loss with Saturday afternoon's 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. It was the type of offensive showing that Alex Cora's team needed after being outscored 17-12 on aggregate during their now-finished three-game skid.
Although they've returned to the win column for the time being, the Red Sox aren't in the clear just yet. Several Boston veterans must step up if they want to cement their club as a playoff threat, including a certain slugger who's back on thin ice to end April.
Red Sox SS Trevor Story Back on Thin Ice After Recent Slump
Few Red Sox veterans entered the 2025 campaign with as much pressure as Trevor Story. The 32-year-old shortstop's Boston tenure has been largely disappointing after he signed a $140 million contract back in March 2022, mostly due to injuries limiting him to just 163 appearances across the last three seasons.
Fortunately, Story has been healthy this season, only missing one of the Red Sox's first 29 games. The stellar health paid off early in the season as the two-time MLB All-Star was slashing .337/.366/.528 with five home runs, 15 RBIs, six stolen bases, and three walks across his first 23 outings (89 at-bats).
Unfortunately, it's been a whole different story since then.
Including Saturday's victory, Story has only one hit in his last 21 ABs (0.48 batting average). He's struck out nine times while only drawing two walks during that stretch, playing a big role in the Red Sox's recently inconsistent offensive production.
Hopefully, Story's slump doesn't last long, so he can return to his previously productive form. The Red Sox are 11-7 (61.1%) when the two-time Silver Slugger records at least one hit this season, compared to being 4-6 (40.0%) when he's gone hitless, highlighting his importance to any success Boston sees.
If his struggles persist, the Red Sox could eventually call up top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer to give Story a kick in the pants. The Chula Vista, CA native has been successfully smacking the ball around with Triple-A Worcester, amassing six HRs and 28 RBIs while slashing .267/.312/.500 across his first 21 games (86 ABs).
Nevertheless, Story rediscovering his touch and becoming a threat at the plate again would bode well for his club's playoff aspirations. As it stands, the Red Sox are currently favored at -130 odds (56.5% implied probability) to make the 2025 MLB postseason on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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