The Boston Red Sox have hit another rough patch in what's already been a challenging 2026 season, and this time it's veteran infielder Trevor Story who's feeling the pain. After a tough loss to the Atlanta Braves, the team announced they're placing Story on the injured list—a move that puts his season on pause and leaves a gap in the infield.

According to Christopher Smith of MassLive, Story's trip to the IL stems from a lingering groin issue that first flared up in late April during a game against the Baltimore Orioles. Now, in the middle of May, the problem has forced the Red Sox to make a roster move. It's the latest in a string of injuries that have already sidelined key players like Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet, making this season feel like an uphill climb for Boston.

The timing is especially tough because Story was showing signs of life at the plate. Just days ago, he crushed his third home run of the season and went 2-for-3 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Three days later, he's heading to the shelf. This year has been a struggle for the 33-year-old, who's hitting just .206 with three homers, 19 RBIs, and a .547 OPS over 41 games. That's a far cry from his 2025 campaign, where he posted a .263 average, 25 home runs, and a .741 OPS.

Story's current OPS ranks as the fourth-worst on the team, trailing only Isaiah Kiner-Falefa, Caleb Durbin, and Jarren Duran. But there's hope that some time off will help him reset. The Red Sox are counting on the IL stint to give Story a chance to rest, recover, and come back ready to turn things around.

In the meantime, Boston has options to fill the hole. Andruw Monasterio, Kiner-Falefa, top prospect Marcelo Mayer, or even a call-up like Eric Sogard could step in to keep the infield steady. For a team already fighting to stay afloat, every move counts—and getting Story back healthy could be a game-changer down the stretch.