The Boston Red Sox are in danger of missing All-Star infielder Trevor Story for the entire 2023 MLB season after he went under the knife recently to fix an elbow injury. As if that's not frustrating enough to hear, there's a rumor being floated that suggests either the Red Sox or Story — or both sides — delayed a surgery that could have been done much earlier.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY,  a Red Sox player said that Story “was quite aware that he would need elbow surgery in the off-season,” but was also hoping the injury would resolve itself with rest. That was, however, refuted by Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.

Bloom insisted this was not the case. If Sox or Story knowingly delayed surgery and his availability for 2023, that’s a big mistake and a bad look.

With Xander Bogaerts leaving via free agency and with Trevor Story out for a considerable amount of time, the Red Sox will be forced to search for someone to plug into the shortstop position. Story was initially deemed to start shifting to the shortstop role in the 2023 MLB season, but that plan is shelved for now.

Trevor Story was a major signing by the Red Sox in 2022, as he inked a six-year deal worth $140 million. In his first season in Boston uniform, Trevor Story slashed 238/.303/.434 and hit 16 home runs to go with 66 RBI across 396 plate appearances and 94 games, with the Red Sox finishing last in the American League East division.