Trevor Story's contract details reveal flexibility for both sides

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The Boston Red Sox made Trevor Story's signing official Wednesday morning, and we now have more details about how they're paying him.

The Boston Globe's Alex Speier shared a year-by-year breakdown of Story's six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox that includes a player option after four years:

Story will make $20 million in 2022, the same amount that shortstop Xander Bogaerts will make on the final year of his six-year, $120 million deal. While Story played shortstop during each of his first six seasons with the Colorado Rockies, the 29-year-old will shift to second base in Boston to allow Bogaerts to remain at short.

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Story's salary jumps to $22.5 million in both 2023 and 2024, and if he picks up his player option after the 2025 season, he'll make $25 million in each of the next two seasons in Boston. If the two-time All-Star opts out, the Red Sox can keep him in Boston by guaranteeing him $25 million per year from 2026 to 2028.

If Story indeed shifts to second base full-time, he'll be the fourth-highest-paid second baseman in baseball by average salary, behind Marcus Semien ($25 million per year), Robinson Cano ($24 million) and Jose Altuve ($23.4 million).

But Boston faces an interesting decision with Bogaerts, who is set to become a free agent after this season. If the Red Sox don't offer Bogaerts a new contract and he walks in free agency, Story may shift back to shortstop in 2023.

The structure of Story's deal gives both sides some flexibility, though, allowing the Red Sox to pay him less now and allowing Story to cash in later in his career by either opting into the final years of his deal in 2025 or negotiating a new contract.

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