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.

There will be a buzz at Boston’s upper-level affiliates in the coming days. Trevor Story will be getting what amounts to the Spring Training he never got when he was coming back from right elbow surgery.

On Friday, Story -- who could be vital to the Red Sox as they chase a postseason spot down the stretch -- will open his Minor League rehab assignment at Double-A Portland. Go to Portland for the lobster and stay to see one of the most athletic players on the Red Sox get back into playing shape.

Here is the plan for Story at Hadlock Field. He will play five innings at shortstop on Friday, get a few at-bats as the DH on Saturday and play another five innings at shortstop on Sunday.

For Marcelo Mayer, the No. 3 prospect in the game according to MLB Pipeline, the chance to hang out with Story for a few days figures to be invaluable. Mayer is also a shortstop.

But the most important thing will be for Story to check off each box toward his long-awaited return to the Sox.

"He feels ready, and this is more about him than anything else," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "We're not cutting corners on the rehab. We just feel like right now is the time to go, and let's see how long it takes. This is not a one-week thing. We want him to get his feet under [him], bounce back after nine innings, all that stuff. This is just the beginning, but it feels good just to know that he's going to go out and play."

With Portland and Triple-A Worcester both off on Monday, that figures to be a natural day off for Story.

Don’t be surprised if Story’s rehab is transferred to Worcester on Tuesday -- the same day the WooSox open a six-game homestand.

All eyes will be on Story at Portland, but here are some recent developments at the other affiliates.

Triple-A Worcester: Dalbec having monster year

With the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline less than two weeks away, the question is if Bobby Dalbec has put up the type of year that will allow the Red Sox to get a decent trade chip for him.

Dalbec’s path is blocked in Boston with rookie Triston Casas holding down first base and Rafael Devers cemented at third.

In 66 games and 240 at-bats, Dalbec has a line of .300/.410/.638 with 22 homers and 52 RBIs.

High-A Greenville: Roman is raking

Looking for a 2022 Draft selection who seems primed to have a quicker-than-expected rise through the system? Look no further than Roman Anthony, the Stoneham High School (Florida) outfielder the Sox got with the 79th pick as compensation for losing Eduardo Rodriguez to the Tigers.

In a recent span of 66 plate appearances, Anthony slashed .353/.500/.843 with six homers and 15 RBIs. The left-handed hitter plays center field and right field. His power potential is what excites the Red Sox the most.

Class-A Salem: Perales earns promotion

Now that Luis Perales has earned a promotion to Greenville, it’s time to appreciate the numbers he put up as a member of Salem’s rotation.

In 13 starts, the 20-year-old from Venezuela had a 3.21 ERA, striking out 71 and walking 28 in 53 1/3 innings. He held opponents to a .197 average. It was in his final three starts for Salem when Perales really turned it on, producing a 1.15 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. With a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a strong curveball, the key for Perales will be to turn his changeup into a weapon. The Sox signed the righty as an international free agent in 2019.