Story was a two-time All-Star with the Rockies, a player with power and speed who rarely missed a game. But he has been a ghost since agreeing to a six-year, $140 million contract with the Red Sox before the 2022 season, missing nearly twice as many games (323) than he has played (163) because of injuries to his right hand, left heel, right elbow, and left shoulder.

In the games he has played, Story has been a below-average hitter because of all the time he has missed. It has been a constant cycle of rehabilitation followed by another setback.

At 32, Story is now facing what will be a defining season for his time in Boston. Is he one of the players who will help lead the organization back into contention, or is he standing in the way of progress?

As younger players press for playing time — 22-year-old shortstop Marcelo Mayer among them — Story can’t assume his contract will keep him on the field.

He understands he has to produce.

“No complaints about my body. It’s time to get back into the flow,” Story said. “I look back at ‘18 and ‘19, my best years in Colorado, That’s the type of hitter that I am and I haven’t shown that consistently in Boston.”

Story arrived at spring training this year with the goal of taking better swings at four-seam fastballs, a pitch he once regularly punished.

His expected batting average [which measures the quality of the contact] against fastballs last season was .191 and he hit only 20 percent of those pitches hard.

“I need to take care of the fastball in the zone,” Story said. “That’s huge for me. That should be a pitch I’m looking for, not one that ends my at-bat.”

If Story can cut down on his strikeouts and get back to driving the ball the other way, he’s much more than just a placeholder until Mayer is ready.

A healthy offseason allowed Story to take more swings, and that has continued in spring training. Manager Alex Cora wants his shortstop on the field in the Grapefruit League after he played only 26 regular-season-games in 2024.

“It’s very important to get him innings in spring training. Volume-wise, it’s huge. Expect him to play four times a week. It doesn’t mean he’ll play shortstop all the time. We’ll get him at-bats as the DH,” Cora said.

“It’s more about the at-bats. He was working on a few things in the offseason that we would love to see translate in games.”

The Sox have changed dramatically since Story first joined a team coming off a run to the American League Championship Series. Rafael Devers is the only lineup regular remaining and the pitching staff has been turned over with only a few exceptions.

Story has invited teammates to his home in Texas to work out the last two offseasons, this year treating them to a Mavericks game.

“I want to lead and help players out and be a mentor. But it definitely lands a little different when you’re in the fire with the guys every single day,” Story said. “You’re on road trips; you’re out there battling with the boys. That’s the best way to lead.

“It’s been tough for me in that aspect, trying to find different ways to make that happen. Health is everything, man. The perspective of the last three years and what I’ve gained from that is how much I love playing and how much I miss playing.”

As the Sox ran through infield drills on Thursday, Story ranged behind second base to field a ground ball and flipped it to Vaughn Grissom with his glove in one smooth motion.

Story smiled as his teammates shouted their appreciation.

“We know what he can do,” Cora said. “It’s still there.”

Peter Abraham can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @PeteAbe.