TORONTO — A day later, Trevor Story got what he wanted — or part of what he wanted, at least.
Alex Cora and his six deposed coaches aren’t coming back to the Red Sox. But Story had that needed follow-up conversation with chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, as he said he would amid outward frustration and disappointment Sunday.
Breslow’s explanation for the moves at a team meeting was insufficient, in Story’s view, and the sudden changes raised questions over the direction of the franchise.
“It was definitely necessary as part of the process,” Story said of his talks with Breslow. “Obviously, you heard the things I said and I didn’t agree with it, but we hashed it out and we had a very constructive conversation.
“Whether I agree with it or not doesn’t really matter. I don’t make those decisions. He heard me out and he was very understanding, because he knew how beloved those guys were and they always will be. So I think it was good to start the process of moving forward, I guess.”
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Story didn’t sound happy. But he had a chance to say his piece.
That wasn’t the case pregame Sunday, when the brief meeting included no comments or questions from players. That bothered at least a few veterans, but Breslow made a point to be with the team Sunday in Baltimore and for the series in Toronto, staying available for any player who wants or needs to engage him at a time of significant upheaval.
Breslow took the same approach last year following the trade of Rafael Devers. There was no big addressing of the team, but he went on the West Coast road trip, when he wasn’t previously scheduled to, to be accessible.
The Sox have won their first two games under interim manager Chad Tracy. On Monday, they welcomed four more new faces to the coaching/support staff, more change — but needed bodies to spread around the workload and help the club function.
The mood around the team was noticeably lighter before and especially after the Red Sox beat the Blue Jays, 5-0, in the series opener. Adjusting more fully will take time.
“[The firings are] still pretty fresh,” Story said after the game. “We’re just trying to make the best of our situation, I think is the best way to put it. We got a lot of new faces, obviously some new leadership. We’re just trying to embrace it and be present in the moment and just go out there and compete and play ball, I think has been kind of the message. That’s it.”
Tim Healey can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @timbhealey.
