Trevor Story injures shoulder on diving play as Red Sox SS set for ...

Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story departed Friday night's 8-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels (box score) after suffering an apparent left shoulder injury on a diving play. Story incurred the injury during the fourth inning, when he attempted to corral a Mike Trout batted ball. He stayed down and received attention from the training staff before leaving the field.

The Red Sox categorized the apparent injury as "left shoulder pain," and manager Alex Cora told reporters post game that the shortstop will undergo an MRI on Saturday. The team will know more about the extent of the injury then, including whether Story will need to be placed on the IL. 

"Frustrating, man," Story told reporters after the game. "A lot of emotions. We don't know how severe it is just yet, but a lot of frustration. ... Pretty painful."

Veteran utility infielder Pablo Reyes took over at the shortstop position for the remainder of the game. 

Story, 31, entered Friday night hitting .241/.313/.345 (94 OPS+) with four runs batted in over the course of his first seven games this season. Friday night's contest marked just the 145th appearance for Story since he signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2022 campaign. He missed significant time last season following surgery to install an internal brace in support of his ulnar collateral ligament. He also missed a chunk of time in 2022 with a hairline fracture in his wrist.

"You go out there and he's in pain and all that, and you start thinking about everything he did in the offseason to get to this point," Cora said. "He's a guy that very quietly has become the leader of this team. He took ownership of what we were trying to accomplish. 

"It's not going to stop, and hopefully nothing is going on and he'll be with us soon. But you start thinking about that. That's the tough part of this job."

Prior to joining the Red Sox, Story had enjoyed a productive career as a member of the Colorado Rockies. Over parts of six seasons he batted .272/.340/.523 (112 OPS+) with 158 home runs and 100 stolen bases. His overall career contributions have been worth an estimated 30.4 Wins Above Replacement and he's a two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award winner.

If the Red Sox are without Story for any length of time, it's unclear who they would turn to at the shortstop position. Reyes represents the path of least resistance, but the Red Sox could also bring up infielder Romy Gonzalez from Triple-A Worcester. The best shortstop prospect in the system, Marcelo Mayer, began his season at the Double-A level on Friday. 

The Red Sox closed Friday night with a 6-2 record, putting them in a tie with the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.