As a rookie in 2016, Trevor Story hit two home runs in his first home opener with the Rockies.
His prodigious introduction to the big leagues included six home runs in his first four games — the most by any player in MLB history to begin a season.
Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said at the time Story was doing “something that legends do,” a statement that appears prophetic in retrospect considering all the shortstop has accomplished in his five seasons in Colorado.
Now, as Story heads into his sixth opening day in LoDo, the prospect that this may be his last in purple pinstripes hangs over the franchise. Story is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, and the Rockies will have to decide whether to trade the 28-year-old by the July 31 deadline or risk losing him for nothing in free agency.
Even with that uncertainty looming, Story is aiming to stay even-keeled.
“Whether I’m playing really well or playing really bad, I try to be the same guy,” Story said. “That suits me well coming into my circumstance now. That (level-headedness) has been the plan and I like how it’s going so far… There’s so many unknowns in this game, and you’re out of control in a lot of them.”
The possibility this is Story’s final act in Colorado has been well known for months.
In February, Story was left feeling “sad, and a little frustrated” after the Rockies traded third baseman Nolan Arenado to St. Louis, leaving behind a gaping hole in a team already widely projected to struggle.
The Rockies haven’t signed an MLB free agent since signing Daniel Murphy in December 2018, and will be hard-pressed to offer the long-term, multi-hundred-million-dollar deal Story will command on the open market. Story, like Arenado, also wants to play for a perennial contender.
So the idea Story will embark on his final season in Colorado when the Rockies take on the Dodgers on Thursday at Coors Field doesn’t require much of a leap.
“I love this ballpark, I love this city,” Story said. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve never opened (the season) at home, so I’m excited about that. Our fans are going to love it and they deserve it.”
Story recalled his first game at Coors Field with fondness, especially the fourth-inning homer that brought the crowd to its feet in the Rockies’ 13-6 loss to San Diego.
“The thing I remember the most about the home opener is the fans,” Story said. “I was having a crazy first week, and then coming home, they were on fire. They were super loud and welcoming to me…. When I hit that first home run to left, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard (a crowd) louder than that. That was something I’ll never forget.”
Originally drafted in the first round (No. 45 overall) in 2011 out of Irving High School (Texas), Story earned the starting shortstop job with a breakout spring training in 2016. He largely overcame strikeout issues that plagued him in the minors and early in pro ball, and has been racking up accolades ever since.
An all-star in 2018 and ’19, Story also won Silver Slugger awards in both seasons. He’s yet to win a Gold Glove but ranks as one of the game’s premium defenders at the position by both traditional and advanced metrics. And, at the plate, his power has been historic for his position.
“(My rookie year) almost feels like a lifetime ago,” Story said. “It’s been such a whirlwind from then until now. A lot of great times, some bad times too, but it’s cool to look back on that (journey) and see where I’m at now.”
With 134 career homers, Story already is the fastest shortstop to hit the 100-homer milestone, which he did in his 448th career game in 2019 to best Alex Rodriguez (470 games). He also was the first MLB shortstop to start his career with four consecutive 20-homer seasons, and was on pace for a fifth with 11 blasts in the condensed 2020 season.
And with 50 steals across ’18 and ’19, Story was the first Rockies player with multiple seasons of at least 30 homers and 20 steals. He said joining the 30-30 club is a goal this year. It’s a feat that would be bittersweet for Rockies fans to see: Story, with all his power and speed and fancy glove-work, taking another leap forward before he likely leaves to cement his legacy with another team.
