Charlie Blackmon came up with a cool way to let Rockies fans show their appreciation for Trevor Story.
A fond farewell
If, as it appears it surely will be, Wednesday’s Rockies–Nationals game was Trevor Story’s final home appearance at Coors Field, it was a memorable one.
Story, a two-time All-Star, will be a free agent at the end of this season and is sure to command a high-priced contract. The Rockies don’t like to spend big money on free agents, so it’s a good bet that Story will be playing elsewhere in 2022. That made Wednesday’s game, an otherwise meaningless getaway-day matinee between two teams long since eliminated from playoff contention, an emotional one for Story.
At the start of the game, as the Rockies took the field for the top of the first, Story went out alone and got a moment to soak in the fans’ adulation before being joined by the rest of his teammates.
The gesture was orchestrated by Charlie Blackmon, the longest-tenured Rockie, and Story had no idea it was going to happen. It’s usually Blackmon who leads the team onto the field at the start of the game, but on Wednesday he told Story to have the honor and instructed the rest of the team to hang back in the dugout.
“I wasn’t aware—it got me by surprise,” a tearful Story told reporters after the game. “Chuck got me good there.
“I should’ve known something was up. But that means a lot. I really appreciate that. These teammates are special. It means a lot that they did that, so a big, big thank you to those guys.”
Story ended up going 4-for-4 in the game (with four infield singles) and scored three runs as the Rockies won 10–5. The game was delayed for two hours by rain in the third inning and by the time the final out was recorded, six hours after the first pitch, only a small portion of the 20,613 fans in attendance had stuck around. The committed fans who stuck it out gave Story a loud cheer and he rewarded a few lucky kids with some gear.
He had tears in his eyes as he made his way to the clubhouse.
Story was openly disappointed when the Rockies didn’t trade him to a contender at the deadline—and rightfully so. What kind of player doesn’t want to play meaningful games down the stretch instead of languishing on a mediocre club? But perhaps he’ll look back on Wednesday’s game in Colorado and be grateful that he had the chance to say a proper goodbye to the city where he played his first six years.
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