The Boston Red Sox necessary to build on the momentum of their series-opening win over the Chicago White Sox, and that’s exactly what the team did by welcoming back shortstop Trevor Story.

Story returned from a five-month absence after dislocating a shoulder on April 5 and immediately went to work as he took his rightful place in the Boston infield. On the second pitch of the night, Chicago’s Nicky Lopez hit a grounder to Story, which the two-time All-Star caught cleanly.

“He’s the quarterback,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after Boston’s 7-5 win, according to Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald. “That’s what we envisioned for the offseason.”

It was a long-awaited uphill battle for Story, who hasn’t played a full season in Boston since signing a six-year, $140 million contract in 2022. The 31-year-old invested in his leadership role with the team long before Opening Day, starting in the winter when Story hosted a training camp and invited members of the team to get to know each other and do some offseason work. Story’s return, which seemed unlikely months ago, speaks volumes about the veteran’s work ethic and determination to contribute and make an impact, regardless of how many games (20) remain in the season.

Adding Story back to the lineup gives the Red Sox some much-needed defensive stability in the infield while also adding a veteran right-hander at just the right time. Boston, while pressed for time, remains in the hunt for a last-minute postseason berth before the bracket is officially set, and a revitalized Story on the field can only help that effort.

“We didn’t think I’d be here at this point, and it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve been here answering questions about my season-ending injury. I’m just so grateful for the opportunity to do this,” Story said, according to Starr. “It’s been great. The best fans in baseball, the best place to play. I just feel that energy. I feel it when I’m in the dugout watching the guys during the season, but there’s nothing better than being out there and playing, so I’ll never take that for granted.”

Story finished his first game back with 1 for 4 runs and a single that scored Boston’s sixth run of the night.

“It was nice to get the first one over with,” Story said, according to Starr. “I felt like it was a tough night.”

Here are more notes from the White Sox vs. Red Sox game on Saturday night:

— Tyler O’Neill hit 27 home runs this season, his sixth multiple home run performance in a Red Sox uniform. The seven-year veteran hit 3 for 4 with two home runs and three RBIs and currently ranks second on the club’s 2024 home run list, behind third baseman Rafael Devers (28).

— The Red Sox have promoted pitcher Richard Fitts, who was acquired from Triple-A Worcester to the New York Yankees last offseason as part of the Alex Verdugo trade, according to Christopher Smith and Starr of MassLive. The 24-year-old Fitts could make his MLB debut, as no starter is currently scheduled to take the mound Sunday.

— Boston entered Saturday night’s game against Chicago with a 2.7-run average, .206 batting average, 125 strikeouts and 28 walks in the last 14 games. The seven-run total was the Red Sox’s most since Aug. 30 (also seven).

– Standings update: Boston has gained some ground in the American League wild card standings and is now four games behind the Minnesota Twins in the battle for the final postseason spot with 20 games left in the regular season.

— Boston and Chicago will conclude their three-game series with a finale on Sunday afternoon. First pitch at Fenway Park is set for 1:35 p.m. ET, and you can watch the game and an hour of pregame coverage live on NESN.