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Sunday morning, the Boston Red Sox and two-time All-Star Trevor Story agreed to a deal worth six years, $140 million.
It had been reported by ESPN's Buster Olney that Xander Bogaerts, Alex Cora and other members of the Red Sox strived to recruit Story via phone calls acknowledging that the shortstop wanted to go where he had a chance to win. Hence, the transition over to second base.
Story, 29, is a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner from 2018 and 2019. From 2018 until now, he has led the National League and is second in the MLB with 254 extra-base hits. The veteran gives the Red Sox one of baseball's strongest infields.
Image: Steve Helber/Associated Press
Story and José Ramírez are the only players to hit at least 20 home runs and steal at least 20 bases in each of the last three 162-game seasons. The newest Red Sox is one of six players in history to hit 150 homers and steal 100 bases through their first six seasons.
A career batting average of .272 with 450 runs batted in, last season, Story hit .251 with 24 home runs, 75 RBI's and 20 stolen bases.
The veteran will join and complete the power part of Boston's lineup with Bogaerts and Rafael Devers.
Over the last three seasons, Bogaerts is hitting .302 with 67 home runs, 224 RBI. He has 407 hits scoring 236 runs. Especially with Mookie Betts gone, Bogaerts has been looked upon as the Red Sox primary weapon and face of the franchise, likely he re-signs next offseason.
Bogaerts hit .295 last season with 23 home runs and 79 RBI's making his third All-Star appearance. The two-time World Series champion had an on-base percentage of .370, a slugging percentage of .493 and an on-base slugging percentage of .863.
From April 1 to June 30, Bogaerts was looking like arguably the best shortstop in the league and an MVP candidate with a .330 batting average, 94 hits, 13 home runs and 48 RBI's. Scoring 49 runs, he slugged .391/.551/.942.
Image: Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
Coming off his first All-Star season, Devers bat .279 with 38 homers and 113 RBI's. Only missing six games during the regular season, during the Red Sox playoff run, Devers hit .295 with five home runs and 12 RBI's while scoring 11 runs.
At just 25, the third baseman is now widely considered as one of the best young bats throughout the American League.
Story will also play next to Boston's young first baseman that showed a lot of pop his full rookie year in Bobby Dalbec.
Dalbec hit .240 with 25 homers and 78 RBI's. It has been reported by Boston media that the 26-year-old will try out other positions as well.
He won Al Rookie of the Month back in August after hitting .339 with seven home runs and 21 RBI's.
Dalbec has had a nice spring batting .333 with two homers and seven RBI's with an OPS over 1.000 in 12 at-bats.
Image: Chris O'Meara/Associated Press
The addition of Story indicates that the Red Sox will be right back where they were in contention if their pitching can hold up.
The star and now second baseman is an ideal fit joining an infield full of force in Boston that is hungry to battle for yet another World Series championship.
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