Will Trevor Story's declining arm strength be a worry for the Red Sox if they move him to shortstop?

After Xander Bogaerts signed his new, lucrative deal with the San Diego Padres, Trevor Story may be the next option for the Boston Red Sox at shortstop.

Story, who was one of the best defensive second basemen in the Majors last season, developed instant chemistry with Bogaerts. Now with a glaring hole in the infield, Story may be forced to shift back to shortstop, the position he called home with the Colorado Rockies.

While his legs and defensive range are as strong as they have ever been, the main red flag comes when talking about his throwing elbow. He missed time in 2021 with a flexor strain on his throwing elbow, and the numbers suggest that his arm strength is declining each season.

"Trevor Story’s arm strength ranks: 2020: 40th percentile. 2021: 19th percentile. 2022: 8th percentile. He was fantastic defensively at 2B last season. Moving him to SS would be reckless and lazy with this free agent class." - Tyler Milliken

His average throwing speed of 79 mph in 2021 ranked him at 52 out of 58 qualified shortstops with average arm strength. The major concern is the sharp decline in average arm strength when compared with his 2020 numbers. During the shortened 2020 season, Trevor Story averaged a throwing speed of 82.3 mph.

The Red Sox were seemingly aware of these numbers, as the shift to second base last season made sense for all parties involved. Story had a shorter throwing distance from second base, and they had a superstar shortstop in the form of Xander Bogaerts. Now, without Bogaerts out of the picture, they will need to look to Story or find a suitable replacement for the most important infield position.

"USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweeted this morning that Dansby Swanson’s FA market has skyrocketed because of the top shortstop signings. He included the Red Sox in the mix for Swanson. Tbh, I’m fine with Trevor Story or Chaim Bloom looking at the trade market than Swanson." - Chris Henrique

While Story will be capable of playing shortstop, considering he played the most innings at shortstop in the MLB between 2018 and 2021, a shift back may not only hurt the team but Trevor Story himself. There is a risk of him reinjuring his elbow, so it may be in the best interest of the Boston Red Sox to look elsewhere.

The top remaining shortstops on the free agent market to help keep Trevor Story at second base

This year's shortstop free agent class featured some of the top talents in the league. However, now that Bogaerts, Trea Turner and Carlos Correa have signed deals, the high-end shortstop market is beginning to shrink.

Dansby Swanson remains the top shortstop on the open market, however, given the contracts already dished out, he may come with a hefty price tag. If the Red Sox are looking for a cheaper option in the free-agent market, they may look to veterans such as Elvis Andrus, Andrelton Simmons or Didi Gregorius.