Shortstop’s hernia forces time on the bench for Boston

Trevor Story, Boston’s starting shortstop, just went under the knife to fix a sports hernia that kept nagging him since spring workouts. The team announced the surgery went well, but don’t expect him back soon. Doctors say six to ten weeks is the realistic timeline, which puts July at the earliest for his return. That’s a long pause for a player who’s already missed chunks of time due to elbow and shoulder surgeries in recent years. The decision wasn’t made in a day. Story checked in with a specialist in Philadelphia this week after saying just a few days ago that surgery was only one option. The Red Sox wanted to gather all the facts before pulling the trigger. It’s never the first choice, but when a core muscle tear keeps flaring up during games, sometimes cutting back on can’t be avoided.While Story rehabs, Boston has options. Marcelo Mayer, normally a second baseman, has been practicing shortstop in case Story stays sidelined. The club gave him extra grounders this week to see if he could slide over if needed. In the meantime, utility players like Andruw Monasterio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have started filling in at the position during May games. At thirty-three, Story has become all too familiar with the disabled list. Over the past two seasons he’s played barely half the schedule, limited by elbow and shoulder woes. His numbers this year reflect the struggle: a . 206 average, only three home runs, and a slugging mark below . 300 going into June. Still, he’s insisted on playing whenever possible, pushing through pain to stay on the field for his teammates. The team has to weigh whether to rush him back or let him heal fully. Rushing often leads to setbacks, but the clock is always ticking on a season. For now, Boston fans will watch Mayer step in at short while Story regroups, hoping his next return won’t be cut short by the same problem.