Story set for rehab stint with Triple-A Worcester

DETROIT -- Trevor Story's chances of a comeback this season, which seemed off the table entirely when he was injured in April and then developed into a plausible concept in mid-July, has turned into reality.

The Red Sox shortstop will start a Minor League rehab assignment on Sunday with Triple-A Worcester, serving as the DH. He will start at shortstop on Monday, take a day off on Tuesday and then go full speed ahead with the goal of bolstering Boston for the stretch run.

This is a scenario few could have imagined on April 5, when Story fractured his left shoulder on a diving attempt on defense in April. And it seemed even less likely a few days after that, when Story fought back tears while talking about surgery, which was outlined -- for all practical purposes -- as season-ending.

“It’s great,” manager Alex Cora said. “When that happened in [Anaheim], I think everybody thought that was it for the season, and then the surgery. He did an amazing job during the rehab, and he put himself in the conversation now.”

Story’s biggest impact will be at shortstop, where he can help settle down a Red Sox infield that has struggled without his leadership.

Now that David Hamilton is out for several weeks with a fractured left index finger, rookie Ceddanne Rafaela, who has held down the majority of games at short while Story has been out, can slide over to second.

“The one thing for sure, whenever he's ready, he's gonna help us,” Cora said of Story. “He will. The athlete, the defense, the baserunner. Obviously, we understand that the offense is part of it, but it's always a challenge when you come from a long period of absence.

“But we'll take the athlete. I think the athlete is going to help us.”

To lessen the burden on Story at the plate, Cora plans on hitting him in the bottom third of the lineup. The right-handed hitter has been a middle-of-the-order hitter for most of his career.

“He's not going to hit in the middle of the lineup,” Cora said. “We already discussed that. He's going to hit in the bottom of the lineup. Obviously, because of where we’re at in season, I'll take that.”