Trevor Story could be the odd man out in one of the greatest shortstop classes in Major League Baseball history.The Colorado Rockies failed to keep the talented shortstop who's been linked with the New York Yankees in the past, yet there wasn't much traction on a deal before the lockout.Now, after watching other infielders like Marcus Semien, Javier Báez, and Corey Seager get paid big bucks, one has to wonder how much a team will be willing to spend on Story.Red Sox Could Offer Story A 1-Year DealAnd according to John Tomase of NBC Sports, his slow free agency could create the perfect storm for the Boston Red Sox to sign him.Per his report, a one-year-deal would allow him to increase his value while giving the Red Sox one of the best middle infield in the league:"Until the Red Sox bestow a nine-figure contract, we should assume they won't play in that market; it's unlikely they'd start with Story, who possesses prodigious power, but has struck out as many as 191 times in a season," Tomase wrote. "But a one-year deal at a high average annual value, with Story moving to second base, would give the Red Sox one of the best offensive infields in baseball alongside Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, and it would allow him to hit the market again next winter at age 30, one year younger than Semien is right now."Story And Bogaerts?Bogaerts, just like Rafael Devers, has yet to sign a contract extension.Nonetheless, most insiders believe that even if he opts out of the final year of his deal, it's just a matter of time before he reaches an agreement to stay at Fenway Park:"This much we know: Bogaerts loves playing in Boston. He demonstrated that with his last contract, which was club-friendly and signed a year before he could have been a free agent,"reported Ian Browne of MLB.comChaim Bloom Will Make Some MovesThe Red Sox fared fairly better than expected last season but there were still several areas of improvement for Alex Cora's team.GM Chaim Bloom said that the team is expected to be quite aggressive in their pursuit of relievers once the lockout ends:“We still would like to add more pitching,” Bloom told MassLive.“We’ve got some guys who can fill multiple roles. But as far as short relievers, that is something we have yet to address in meaningful fashion. And we’re going to continue to look at doing that.”Don't Sleep On The YankeesEven so, the Yankees are still fully expected to make a big run at Story once the lockout ends.Some believe that Brian Cashman is walking on thin ice and that he could try and make a big splash in free agency to put an end to their World Series drought.So, this could become one of the most exciting bidding wars in recent history, with the two most hated rivals going toe-to-toe to sign one of the best players in the market.
Trevor Story could be the odd man out in one of the greatest shortstop classes in Major League Baseball history.The Colorado Rockies failed to keep the talented shortstop who's been linked with the New York Yankees in the past, yet there wasn't much traction on a deal before the lockout.Now, after watching other infielders like Marcus Semien, Javier Báez, and Corey Seager get paid big bucks, one has to wonder how much a team will be willing to spend on Story.Red Sox Could Offer Story A 1-Year DealAnd according to John Tomase of NBC Sports, his slow free agency could create the perfect storm for the Boston Red Sox to sign him.Per his report, a one-year-deal would allow him to increase his value while giving the Red Sox one of the best middle infield in the league:"Until the Red Sox bestow a nine-figure contract, we should assume they won't play in that market; it's unlikely they'd start with Story, who possesses prodigious power, but has struck out as many as 191 times in a season," Tomase wrote. "But a one-year deal at a high average annual value, with Story moving to second base, would give the Red Sox one of the best offensive infields in baseball alongside Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers, and it would allow him to hit the market again next winter at age 30, one year younger than Semien is right now."Story And Bogaerts?Bogaerts, just like Rafael Devers, has yet to sign a contract extension.Nonetheless, most insiders believe that even if he opts out of the final year of his deal, it's just a matter of time before he reaches an agreement to stay at Fenway Park:"This much we know: Bogaerts loves playing in Boston. He demonstrated that with his last contract, which was club-friendly and signed a year before he could have been a free agent,"reported Ian Browne of MLB.comChaim Bloom Will Make Some MovesThe Red Sox fared fairly better than expected last season but there were still several areas of improvement for Alex Cora's team.GM Chaim Bloom said that the team is expected to be quite aggressive in their pursuit of relievers once the lockout ends:“We still would like to add more pitching,” Bloom told MassLive.“We’ve got some guys who can fill multiple roles. But as far as short relievers, that is something we have yet to address in meaningful fashion. And we’re going to continue to look at doing that.”Don't Sleep On The YankeesEven so, the Yankees are still fully expected to make a big run at Story once the lockout ends.Some believe that Brian Cashman is walking on thin ice and that he could try and make a big splash in free agency to put an end to their World Series drought.So, this could become one of the most exciting bidding wars in recent history, with the two most hated rivals going toe-to-toe to sign one of the best players in the market.
