BOSTON -- After emerging from an early-season slump that lasted for a month and going off with a surreal power surge, it seemed as if Trevor Story was ready for takeoff in his first season with the Red Sox.

However, Story is scuffling again in an effort to find his swing. He went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the A’s.

This loss was hardly on Story, as the Red Sox went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 13 men on base. But given that Story was the prized free-agent acquisition that Boston invested a six-year, $140 million contract in, his highs and lows will be more magnified.

In his last 10 games, Story is 6-for-41 with two walks, 17 strikeouts and just one extra-base hit.

Backed by an even-keeled demeanor and an unquestioned work ethic, Story will trust those assets to get him through this latest rut.

“Baseball is a game of ups and downs,” said Story. “I think it’s about making the adjustment, and I know it’s going to happen. It’s just a matter of time for me. But yeah, it’s always frustrating struggling. But that’s part of this game and it always will be. It’s not something you ever get comfortable with, but I know that it’s part of the game and we’re working to get it right.”

Clearly, Story was hoping for a smoother entry to his new team after six years of strong play for the Rockies. But this is what he is left with, so he has no choice but to work his way out of it.

All baseball players go through slumps throughout the course of the season. But Story acknowledges this has been extreme for him.

“Yeah, I’d say atypical,” Story said. “I think a little more ups and downs than usual. I’m looking forward to being more consistent, for sure.”

To Red Sox manager Alex Cora, Story looks like a player who is going out of the strike zone and paying for it.

“We just have to make sure he dominates the strike zone,” said Cora. “That’s the most important thing. When he starts doing that, he becomes a very dangerous hitter. But right now, he’s not. We’ll keep working.”

The second baseman had some golden chances to bust out with one swing on Thursday.

When Story came up in the bottom of the seventh, there were two on and two outs and he represented the tying run. The wind was blowing out to left field, and perhaps Story could have put a charge into one and belted it over the Green Monster. Instead, after working the count full, Story went down swinging through a slider.

“He put a good at-bat [together] to get to 3-2, and then he chased a slider,” said Cora.

Story had another chance in the bottom of the ninth with the Red Sox down just one run, but he jumped at a first-pitch slider and grounded out to short.

Does Story agree with Cora’s assessment that he’s expanding too much?

“Yeah,” said Story. “I also think it comes down to taking care of my pitches. If I’m kind of zoning the pitcher up where I want and putting a good swing on the ball or putting it in play or ending the at-bat right there, that’s ideal. That’s not the case right now.”

The good news for Story is that his latest slump isn’t hurting the team much. The Red Sox have won eight of their last 10 games and 11 of their last 14.

Things were different earlier in the season, when Story’s struggles through May 8 (.194/.276/.269, no homers) coincided with the Red Sox getting off to a 10-19 start.

From May 10-26, Story demonstrated exactly what the Red Sox were thinking when they signed him, as he roped nine home runs in 58 at-bats and slashed .293/.368/.776 with a 1.144 OPS.

Perhaps another stretch like that will come soon.

“Obviously not the performance that I wanted to have today or the last few days, but I feel like we’re doing the right work to get there -- and it’s a process,” said Story. “I think that’s the toughest part of it. Got to be a little better and have some better at-bats, and I know I will.”