Trevor Story agrees to terms with Boston Red Sox in unorthodox deal

Bob Nightengale of USA Today was the first to report this morning that former Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story has agreed to terms with the Boston Red Sox.

In theory, it’s a six-year deal for $140 million, for an average annual value (AAV) of $23.33 million. But there are some eccentricities of the deal and some other information that has come out the Rockies and Story since as well.

The Colorado Rockies have officially lost Trevor Story to the Boston Red Sox

Former Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story has come to terms with the Boston Red Sox on a six-year deal for $140 million that could end up being a few years shorter or a year longer.

Story will have an opt-out after the fourth year but the Red Sox can override that if they add another year to the deal. So it could be as long as a seven-year deal for $160 million, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Joel Sherman of The New York Post also reports that there is not a no-trade clause in the deal.

Story, 29, will play second base for the Red Sox since the Red Sox have Xander Bogaerts at shortstop, who has been an All-Star and Silver Slugger winner in two of the last three seasons and received AL MVP votes in each of the last four seasons, including a 5th place finish in 2019.

Bogaerts has an opt-out after the 2022 season and plans on exercising it so Story could play shortstop in 2023 if neither of their top prospects (Marcelo Mayer or Jeter Downs) are in the majors by then.

The Rockies reached out to Story just before they decided to go all-in on Kris Bryant but, reportedly, Story was not interested in returning.

With joining the Red Sox, though, Story will take less money than the Rockies offered, according to Heyman but Story believes that there is a better chance of winning with the Red Sox than the Rockies.

The Red Sox have won four World Series since 2004 (2004, 2007, 2013, 2018) whereas the Rockies have only made the playoffs four times since then (2007, 2009, 2017-2018) and they have not made it past the NLDS since 2007.

The Rockies have Kris Bryant to replace Story in the lineup but José Iglesias will replace him at shortstop and Iglesias is a far cry from Story both offensively and defensively. The Rockies will also need another bat (among numerous other things) to contend in 2022 and multiple projections view the Rockies as the worst team in the NL. The Red Sox, before the Story signing, were projected to win 84 games by PECOTA.