The Purple Row staff shares our favorite Trevor Stories

After the Rockies traded Troy Tulowitzki to the Blue Jays on July 28, 2015, Rockies fans were left wondering who would take the place of their superstar (albeit injury-prone) shortstop. They received Jose Reyes in return, sure, but it wasn’t until later that the true heir became apparent: a young buck by the name of Trevor Story.

Story won the job in spring training 2016 and never looked back. In Rockies his career, Story slashed .272/.340/.523 with 158 home runs. He also racked up the accolades, such as:

• Three NL Player of the Week awards
• NL Rookie of the Month (April 2016)
• Two-time All-Star (2018, 2019)
• Two-time Silver Slugger (2018, 2019)
• 2021 Home Run Derby participant

We were so privileged to watch Trevor blossom into a superstar shortstop and even though he’s in Boston now, we will always remember #StoryTime in Denver.

Kenneth: Story's 3-HR game vs San Francisco 9/5/2018

Running late to the park, I was walking down the aisle to my seat behind the first-base dugout in the bottom of the first inning when Story launched a missile down the left field that he hit so hard it took him off his feet. In the fourth - down 3-2 - Story obliterated a 92 MPH fastball to tie the game up. Estimated at the time to travel 505 feet, it was recorded as the longest bomb of the season in the big leagues and was easily one of the furthest balls I’ve ever seen hit in-person. Then, in the sixth inning, Story did it again - smoking an 86 MPH change-up in to the left field bleachers, giving the Rockies a 4-3 lead. What I remember best, however, was the hum of energy in the park for his fourth at-bat to lead off the top of the eighth inning. Every fan was standing the whole time, anticipating the improbable four-homer game coming to life. He ended up striking out against reliever Ray Black, but the electric atmosphere Story created was memorable regardless of the outcome.

In the end, all of Story’s bombs came against rookie Andrew Suárez, and significantly impacted the game. Story gave the Rockies the lead in the first, tied the game in fourth and provided the eventual winning run in the sixth. He simply took over the game, hitting 1,380 feet worth of moonshots that night and single-handedly won the game for a playoff-hopeful Rockies team. It was a magnificent performance at a meaningful time from one of the brightest stars I was ever lucky enough to watch at 20th and Blake.

Skyler: Fastest shortstop to 100 home runs

From the moment he stepped into the box in 2016, Trevor Story proved he could mash dingers. Aside from the shortened 2020 campaign, Story managed to hit at least 20 home runs in each season of his career with Colorado. Perhaps one of the most notable milestones was his 100th career home run that came against the Baltimore Orioles on May 24, 2019. After blasting the century mark milestone, Story wrote his name into the MLB record books once again by becoming the fastest shortstop in history to hit 100 home runs. He reached the mark in his 448th career game, faster than prolific sluggers like Alex Rodriguez (470 games) and Nomar Garciaparra (491). Story also didn’t waste any time hitting number 101 because he blasted a walk-off home run in that same game against the Orioles. We enjoyed many important home runs for Story in Colorado, and now Boston will get to enjoy many more of them.

Becca: The Bat Flip

I loved getting to watch Trevor Story play. His swing (and bat flip) is a work of art. That being said, my memory is more of a personal story. Before the 2018 season the Rockies did a road trip and I got up and drove to Greeley to meet Trevor (along with old friends Tom Murphy and Mike Dunn.) I had one of the “Catch the Fever” shirts on and Trevor was stoked about it and we ended up chatting for a few minutes about the upcoming season and my shirt. This is my favorite memory for a multitude of reasons but the main one is that I love being reminded that players are also people. They are just like you and me, they just happen to be amazing athletes that we get the pleasure of watching.

Now, about that bat flip...

Joelle: Story starts with a bang

I love watching all MLB debuts. They are exhilarating because you may just be watching a superstar beginning their magic. That ended up being true when we all got to witness a 23-year-old Trevor Story make his MLB debut on Apr. 4, 2016 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Rockies season opener. It didn’t come in his first at-bat, which was a groundout. But in his second at-bat, against the great Zack Greinke, Story hit a 364-foot, opposite-field, three-run homer to put the Rockies up 4-1. In his next at-bat, in the fourth inning, he did even better, smashing a 439-foot solo shot that clocked 106 mph on its way to the seats. He hit two homers against Greinke. The second one had the distance that we soon became very familiar when it came to Story-time homers. Story went on to hit 25 more homers in his rookie campaign. He ended his time with the Rockies with 158 homers, which is 10th best in team history. I’ll miss the sound of that home-run crack of the bat, but I hope it continues to echo off the Green Monster at Fenway.

Mac: The glove told its own story

When considering Trevor Story’s greatest moments, it’s understandable to think of one of his incredible performances at the plate - his home runs are some of the most exciting moments in Rockies history, after all. For me, though, I consider some of his incredible plays at shortstop first and foremost. I’ve always had a deep appreciation for defense in baseball, and Trevor clearly does too, as he often makes plays that leave one’s jaw dropped. Story consistently played above-league-average defense and was key in backing up the Rockies rotation. His bat was often the key focus, and for good reason, but Story’s glove was yet another phenomenal element to his game. Take the below play as just one example of his defense - how many shortstops do you know would a) even consider this play, and b) be able to pull it off? Story’s power-hitting will certainly be missed, but I’ll personally be pining for his defensive wizardry just as much.

Mario: Story the Baserunner

One of the things I always enjoyed about Trevor Story was how well-rounded he was as a ballplayer. He hit, hit for power, fielded, and also ran the bases extremely well. He stole 50 bases in '18 and '19, stole 20 despite injuries in '21 and was on pace for upwards of 40 steals in '20. And it wasn't just stealing bases, it was also the ability to take extra bases and score on singles that made him great. Story has taken 55% of all extra bases throughout his career (MLB average is 40%), he scored 111 runs in 2019, and he scored one of the biggest runs in recent Rockies history, the 13th-inning game-winner in the 2018 NL Wild Card Game against the Cubs. Need I remind you that he also started the rally with a two-out single before going first-to-third on a Gerardo Parra base hit and eventually scoring the go-ahead run? What a ballplayer he was for this team.

Sam: Opening Day 2016

I was wracking my brain trying to think of good stories to tell about Trevor, from my first Purple Row interview to our chat about him playing “that plastic thing (recorder)” as a kid that his mom “probably hated him for.”

But I’ve decided to stick with baseball, because my first-ever Opening Day was April 4, 2016 at Chase Field. I was one of a handful of Rockies fans there and was heckled horribly by a random dude in a Giants jersey (who was honestly just heckling all of the women in his proximity). It was right after the D-Backs signed Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, so fans were really feelin’ it. Unfortunately for them, so was Trevor Story.

Story’s first hit was a three-run, opposite-field homer in the third inning off Zack Greinke and a hush immediately fell over the crowd. The Giants guy and his friend were off getting beer, but they were very upset when they came back. Later on, they went to grab even more beer (like they needed it...) and Story then cranked his second homer of the night during his next AB. Giants guy never did return. Needless to say, it was super fun for me. Not so much for everyone else who was there.

I’ve been to plenty of Opening Days and seen plenty of MLB debuts since 2016, but that one was extra special.

Justin: March/April 2016

Story debuted in the bigs during my first year of college. I, a 19-year-old junior college freshman at the time, resided in South Phoenix and made it a point to attend as many Rockies spring training games as possible. My duties as a college pitcher kept that from being consistent, but a Sunday off day was prime opportunity to catch the Rockies’ up-and-coming infielder at work.

At this point I had left my hometown of Denver for the first ‘official’ time, but the dominance of our new guy made me feel extremely close to home. It was special stuff for a college ballplayer with high aspirations himself.

Story began the regular season on a torrid streak of home runs, making a name for himself in that first month faster than any Rockie I can even recall. A handful of my college teammates were also from Colorado and it was great to 1. be surrounded by Rockies faithful while out of state, and 2. be surrounded with passionate conversation on a topic I had seen unfold firsthand throughout spring training (and well before). It was easy to feel like Story was one of our guys, and it was incredibly motivating to take that excitement into my own craft.

Evan: 505

Despite the fact that over the last six years Trevor Story has had so many memorable moments, it wasn’t difficult for me to choose one. His three-home-run game against the Giants in September of 2018 was truly incredible, but it’s the 505’ that will always stick in my mind. On a simple swing with a 1-1 count in the fourth inning, Story showed off effortless power. He demolished the ball in a way that brings back memories of Rockies greats like Andrés Galarraga and Dante Bichette. I don’t care if they “officially” demoted it to a shorter distance. It will always be 505’ to me, and I have the shirt, the bobblehead, and the memories to prove it.

I wasn’t a Trevor Story believer at first. When he was slumping hard in his sophomore season I was the exact kind of idiot clamoring for the Rockies to bench him for someone like Pat Valaika. I am extremely proud to have been so, so very wrong. Trevor Story blossomed into a true superstar for the Rockies, and one of my very favorite players. I’m crushed to see him go, but wish him nothing but luck and success with his new team. Love you, Trev.

Renee: “Gotta be the shoes”

Trevor Story is a terrific player, and my Purple Row colleagues have done a great job of explaining why the Rockies will never replace him. While I’m going to miss the homers and the great defensive plays and the one-on-one basketball he played with Ryan McMahon when games were slow, I’d like to take a moment to appreciate a shortstop with style.

When Trevor Story took the field, I knew I could expect excellent play and stylish footwear. Look, details matter.

Besides, not only did Story have style, but he left a pair of spikes for Ryan McMahon, another illustration of what a good friend and teammate Story is:

I’m sad that Story will be playing his names games in Boston, but if I’m honest, I’m also eager to see his next line of footwear — maybe something in a Louboutin red.

Robert: Week 1

After the Troy Tulowitzki trade in 2015 and the subsequent offseason debacle that was the José Reyes situation, I entered the 2016 season with low hopes for whoever was playing short for the Rockies. Sure, this Story kid was a former first round draft pick but the attempt to have Reyes seemed to indicate (to this young baseball fan) that maybe he wasn’t entirely ready for the big time.

Well, I was wrong. As we all remember, Trevor Story’s first week was must-see TV. I was living in Washington at the time, but even there my typically Mariners fans friends would turn the channel to see if he could hit another one - and more often than not, he did.

The feeling of hopefulness and possibilities that always comes with early season baseball was epitomized for me that week - with one pitch, one swing, a player can change the game. And that week, Trevor Story did it again and again.

★ ★ ★

What are some of your favorite Trevor Stories? Sound off in the comments below!