Story discusses shoulder rehab, return to Colorado and more

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

LOS ANGELES -- The All-Star break had just ended, and Trevor Story reappeared in the visitors' clubhouse at Dodger Stadium on Friday afternoon.

For the past few months, Story had been rehabbing his surgically repaired left shoulder at Elite OrthoSport in Southern California.

The proximity of his training ground from Dodger Stadium isn’t the only reason Story rejoined his Boston teammates over the weekend. Story is at a transition phase in his comeback where he will spend most of his time with the Red Sox. This is good news because Story’s veteran presence is important to a young team. And in even better news, Story said he will soon be ready to resume baseball activities.

When Story fractured his shoulder in the eighth game of the season, it seemed like a crushing blow for the Red Sox, given that they were counting on him to be a clubhouse leader, the captain of the infield and a key right-handed bat. But Boston has boosted Story’s spirits by staying in the thick of the postseason race.

In a check-in with reporters over the weekend, Story spoke about a variety of topics. The most newsworthy came when he revealed that he hasn’t ruled out playing again in 2024.

Here is a sampling from the State of Story address.

On the chance of playing again this season, particularly if the Red Sox buy him some more recovery time by making the playoffs
Story: We’re having the conversations about it now. It’s too early to say if that's going to happen or not but [it's] always in my mind. It’s something that, obviously, if there's a chance to play in the playoffs, this is why I came to Boston. So I think we’re being very diligent about the process, we’re being respectful and we're not doing anything that my body's not saying yes to. It’s too early to tell, but obviously, it would be amazing if I can.

On the chance to join the Red Sox in Denver for the three-game series against his former team, the Rockies, on Monday
Story: It'll be cool just to go back. That’ll be the first time [I'm] going back. I wish I was obviously playing, so that'll be a little different. But it's good to go back for the first time [since leaving the Rockies], so we’ll close the chapter there and see some old friends.

On Jarren Duran taking his game to the next level and getting named MVP of the All-Star Game
Story: It’s just so fun to watch him kind of blossom into the player that he is, the person that he's becoming. He deserves that. He's worked so hard. He cares about the game. And he's been a great leader for us this year. That was more [of] my message to him than anything was, "You deserve this, man. You deserve to be amongst the best in the game." And he showed it.

Thoughts on the surprising season so far for the ’24 Sox
Story: From playing eight, nine years, you have this feeling about your team that you're either going to find ways to win or you're going to find ways to lose. This just feels like a "find a way to win" team. It feels like we're never out of games, even if you get down early. And just from talking to the boys, that seems like the attitude. That’s what makes me really feel hopeful about this year. It just has that feeling to it.

On the recent momentum gained in rehab
Story: A lot of it is just rebuilding the shoulder, just getting the strength back, getting the motion back. I made a lot of really good strides there. So it's close, man -- it's close. Especially from how it was early on, it was not in good shape. So it's been a crazy turnaround really the last month and a half, so we’re riding some momentum. I feel really good about getting to some baseball activity soon.