Through the month of March, leading up to MLB Opening Day on April 1,
Sports Spectrum is highlighting 21 Christ-following players to watch in 2021.
Even a pandemic-shortened season couldn’t slow down Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story. He appeared in all but one game for the Rockies in 2020 on his way to batting .289 with 11 home runs, 28 runs batted in and 15 stolen bases.
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He’ll take on an even bigger leadership role in 2021 after the departure of Nolan Arenado, and look to be selected to the All-Star Game for a third time in his career and claim a third Silver Slugger Award.
Known for his bat and his speed, Story has hit at least 35 home runs and stolen at least 20 bases in each of the past two full seasons. His 15 stolen bases led the National League in 2020. And on May 24, 2019, in his 448th game, he hit his 100th and 101st home runs — the latter one being a walk-off — and became the fastest shortstop to reach that milestone, passing Alex Rodriguez previous mark.
He’s done all of this while keeping a Christ-centered perspective on his career.
“We’re here playing baseball, but we’re called to do something greater, I believe,” Story told Sports Spectrum in 2018. “That’s to further God’s Kingdom, to help others and try to be like Jesus as close as we can.”
His Twitter bio also reads, in part, “Through Christ All Things Are Possible!”
Off the field, Story has worked to give back in his community. In 2019 he partnered with the T-shirt company Giving Sole to buy brand-name shoes for kids in foster care who, according to its website, “have never known what it’s like to have new shoes like their peers.”
The design featured a cross, a lion and a sword. Story told the Denver Post that the cross stands for remembering the sacrifice of God, the lion represents being bold in your faith, and the sword is symbolic for putting on the armor of God.
Giving Sole was started by then-10-year-old Gavin Henss and his parents. After a short-term foster child left their family, he wanted to keep helping kids in the system. Story was on board.
“Shoes [are] a huge hobby of mine, so I met up with Gavin [Henss] in spring training and thought it was going to be a great partnership,” Story told the Denver Post. “And it has been absolutely great so far. This shirt is what I’m all about, and to help put shoes on the feet of kids who need it most is special.”
Story has also used his social media platforms to praise healthcare workers and other frontline workers fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic. He wrote a nurse’s name on paper and placed it in the back of his Rockies jersey and included the message, “Always thinking of #TheRealHeroes like our dear friend Lori De La Torre. Thank you for your bravery and sacrifice to help keep everyone safe and healthy. We love you!”
He also posted a video in March 2020, shortly after baseball and other sports were shut down, thanking nurses, doctors and health care providers.
“Just know we appreciate everyone helping to fight this virus,” he wrote. “Stay safe, much love!”
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As Story enters his sixth big-league season, expectations will be high on him to lead the Rockies. But as he said in 2018, he’s hoping others see his faith in Jesus more than the stats next to his name.
“You’re here for that deeper reason — not just to play baseball,” he said. “That’s certainly the venue we were blessed to have, to reach as many people as we can.”
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