Trevor Story opts IN to the final two years of his contract with the Red Sox

"With an infield full of question marks as the front office faces the upcoming winter workload, Story sticking around makes matters much less murky. The Sox' shortstop had the ability to opt out of this deal, forgoing the final two years of the contract in which he will get paid $25 million per season. However, if he did, Craig Breslow and company also had the potential to counter the opt-out by tacking on a third year at $25 million in 2028. It wasn't likely, but if he managed to get to the free agent market, you were essentially talking about needing to rebuild the infield from scratch."

"Story almost certainly left money on the table to opt in to this deal. Not only would he be an attractive middle infield candidate in this upcoming free agent market, but he also couldn't be extended a Qualifying Offer since he was already given one by the Colorado Rockies following the 2021 season. This would push his stock even higher the way teams heavily guard their draft picks."

Trevor Story opted into the final two years of his Red Sox contract, guaranteeing $25 million per season for 2026 and 2027. His choice removes potential infield uncertainty and avoids the scenario of a full infield rebuild if he reached free agency. The team retained the theoretical option to counter an opt-out by adding a third year at $25 million for 2028, though that was unlikely. Story likely sacrificed potential free-agent earnings and could not receive a Qualifying Offer due to a prior offer from Colorado. Possible motivations include liking the club’s direction and embracing a veteran leadership role.

Read at Over the Monster