Spilborghs: Story may have played himself into extension
Jul 21, 2021, 7:00 AM | Updated: 7:10 am
When the MLB trade deadline comes and goes at the end of the month, Ryan Spilborghs believes Trevor Story will remain in Colorado Rockies purple.
But could the star shortstop be playing under the Coors Field lights come this time next season? Spilborghs says he thinks it’s a possibility.
Joining “The Drive” this week, the Fan Rockies Insider said that Story, who has middling offensive numbers thus far in 2021, may have “played himself into a hometown extension.”
“I think Trevor’s a unicorn. I think he’s a freak. I think he’s worth a lot of money. But this could be a buy-low opportunity for the Rockies if you’re willing to try to do it,” Spilborghs said Monday. “But he could have potentially played himself into an extension to stay in Colorado versus if he was a superstar, All-Star this year, it’d be really hard to say that he’s not worth the $200 million on that market.”
With a slash line of .242/.315/.428, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs, by no stretch has Story had a poor season at the plate in 2021.
But in comparison to his previous All-Star-caliber seasons, and compared to the rest of the league’s shortstops, Story has had a pedestrian campaign by his standards.
“What’s crazy to talk about with Trevor, too, is he’s going to end up with over 20 stolen bases, over 20 homers. It’s just in comparison to what he’s capable of doing, he didn’t do it,” Spilborghs said. “And he hasn’t finished yet. I mean, the season’s not over. But the only reason why I’m saying he may have played himself into an extension is if you consider the class of shortstops going on the market next year.”
The shortstops slated to hit the market this offseason include Toronto’s Marcus Semien, Los Angeles’ Corey Seager, Houston’s Carlos Correa and Chicago’s Javy Baez. And with a limited number of potential suitors, Story could be the odd man out, Spilborghs said.
“I would test free agency if I was Trevor. But if the Rockies come up with a fairly reasonable extension, you never know if, based on this year, you (may) take it,” Spilborghs said. “That’s what I’m saying. He may have played himself into it.”
