Boston Red Sox
Story has a locker with the Worcester Red Sox and hit batting practice there on Friday.
The Boston Red Sox could be getting a couple of sluggers back in their lineup soon.
Outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story are “getting closer” to joining a minor league team on a rehab assignment, interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters before Friday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Anthony, who began hitting off a Trajekt pitching simulation machine last week after being shut down from swinging a bat since late May, continues to make positive progress.
“We are getting closer,” Tracy said of an Anthony return (via MLB.com’s Ian Browne). “I won’t put a timetable on that, because we have to continue to see how he feels and does with this throughout the week as we increase and add in the extra steps. And then we’ll see where he’s at when we get to the end of this series, and we’ll see where he’s at.”
Tracy said he doesn’t anticipate Anthony beginning his rehab assignment this weekend.
Anthony suffered a right wrist sprain while swinging during a May 4 at-bat against the Detroit Tigers. More specifically, he partially tore a tendon connected to his ring finger. He met with multiple hand specialists and didn’t undergo surgery.
Anthony got off to a slow start offensively this season, hitting .229 with a .675 OPS and one home run in 30 games. However, he had begun to show signs of improvement in the batter’s box in the week leading up to his injury.
Whether Anthony could wriggle his way into the outfield defensively or simply be Boston’s designated hitter if he were to return in 2026 remains to be seen. It’s no secret the team has experienced success lately sans Anthony, but if and when he’s healthy, he will join the major-league club one way or another.
Even if it requires a difficult roster decision.
Based on Tracy’s latest update, it sounds like a decision could be made soon.
“Everything’s going well so far, we’re creeping closer,” Tracy said of Anthony. “So he just continues to ramp up all of his normal work and ramp up the Trajekt work. I think last I saw, he’s incorporating breaking balls and mixed pitches off Trajekt. So we’re doing well.”
As for Story, he’s similarly “getting closer” to starting his rehab assignment. Tracy said the veteran could be even nearer than Anthony to resuming game action.
“Same thing he’s been doing, but increasing [volume],” Tracy said. “Continues to increase, ramp up, with more intensity and more volume of baseball activity. So he’s another one that’s getting closer. He’s doing everything and feeling much better. … Everything’s going well there as well.”
Story has a locker in the Worcester Red Sox clubhouse as of Friday, according to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette’s Tommy Cassell. The SS hit batting practice with Worcester’s manager as well, a sign he’s on the verge of joining the team for rehab games.
Story, whose Red Sox career has been defined by injuries, underwent sports hernia surgery on May 22 and hasn’t played for Boston since May 14.
He struggled even more than Anthony at the plate before being sidelined. He averaged .206 with a .547 OPS and four homers in 41 games.
It seems likely Story would return to his natural position at shortstop, where he began the season as the Red Sox’ starter. He committed six errors across 340.1 innings (.958 fielding percentage) before sustaining his hernia.
Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.