The Boston Red Sox’s search for a third baseman this past winter was well documented.
Even though the Red Sox already had a three-time All-Star at third base in Rafael Devers, they sensed an opportunity to get better on defense by moving Devers to designated hitter. That opened the door to the team’s February signing of Alex Bregman, who inked a three-year, $120 million contract.
If the Red Sox couldn’t have had Bregman, though, they were on the verge of trading for St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado. Instead, Arenado stayed with the Cardinals, even though he almost certainly expected to be dealt somewhere new at the start of the offseason.
Appropriately enough, the Red Sox’s home opener on Friday sees the Cardinals coming to Fenway Park, so Boston will get to see what they could have had. And for one Boston star, Arenado’s presence will bring back all sorts of memories.
Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story, who was teammates with Arenado from 2016 to 2020 on the Colorado Rockies, dished on the awkwardness of knowing his new team was trying to acquire both players all winter.
“It was a little weird, for sure, because I’m close with both of them,” Story said Thursday, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “In my eyes, it’s not about like picking or saying, ‘I’d rather have this guy.’ It was a win-win.”
It’s not really my job (to decide who the Red Sox acquire). I don’t want that to be my job. That’s the business side of it. I’m pumped that Breggy is here, but it was a weird situation.”
Story, 32, has been friends with Bregman for several years now as well. Hearing from both players about the potential of coming to Boston all offseason, and knowing that only one at most could come must have been confounding.
The Red Sox chose their path with Bregman, and through seven games, it’s working out nicely. Now, they just have to hope Arenado doesn’t hit three balls over the Green Monster, which he did the last time the Cardinals were at Fenway in 2023.
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