Story's latest chapter? A decade of MLB service

This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

BOSTON – On April 4, 2016, a 23-year-old shortstop named Trevor Story made his Major League debut with the Colorado Rockies. At that point, his whole career was in front of him.

In the subsequent years, there would be big home runs, important stolen bases, dazzling plays on defense, steady leadership, and, yes, in recent years, more injuries than he’d care to remember.

But on Sunday, as he helped his Red Sox to an important 6-4 win over the Yankees, it added up to a decade of Major League service time.

Winning the game was just another step in reaching a goal for the Red Sox, so they didn’t make too big a deal about it. But Story was a different story.

“We just celebrated Trevor. That’s it. Ten years in the big leagues. We just celebrated that.” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “Business as usual [otherwise]. It was fantasy football this morning. They watched a lot of football, and they were ready to play.”

In this season to cherish for Story, he has always been ready to play, unlike those first three years in Boston where one annoying injury after another set him back.

The payoff is finally coming for the 32-year-old, who has played in 146 of Boston’s 150 games.

Reaching 10 years service time with the most crucial games of the season upcoming made the timing perfect for Story.

“These guys mean a lot to me. And they've had my back for the whole time I've been here. That means a lot to me,” Story said. “And playing in the postseason is what baseball is all about to me. And that's the reason why I chose to come to Boston, to play in games like this. It's something that I'm really relishing, because I've only been in the playoffs twice. So I’m looking to make it for the third time in 10 years.”

In 10 years, Story has played 1,054 games, compiling 620 runs, 1,056 hits, 245 doubles, 27 triples, 203 homers, 631 RBIs and 157 stolen bases.

“Yeah, it means a lot,” Story said. “I think about the debut obviously, but just all the people that have helped me get here, the trainers, the strength coaches, my family, my friends, everyone who has helped me get here, those are the people that I think about. The support system that I have is incredible, and they should be just as much as proud of this as me.”

There’s probably nobody within the confines of the Boston clubhouse who garners more respect than Story.

“Since Day 1, since I met him, he's been a huge leader in the clubhouse,” said Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet. “He was one of the first guys to text me when I got traded over and he's just a great teammate and person to be around. I think that we could all learn a little bit from him and follow his example and end up in a pretty good spot.”