BOSTON — Trevor Story was back at shortstop Tuesday night. Chris Sale is expected to be the starting pitcher Friday night. By the weekend, Garrett Whitlock will be part of Boston’s bullpen. And barring any setbacks, Tanner Houck could rejoin the rotation by next week.

These are all positive developments for the Red Sox, who can use the infusion of talent that the four veterans bring. Story, who has missed the entire season, has been sorely missed at shortstop.

However fragile he might be, Sale was pitching brilliantly before injuring his shoulder on June 1.

And while Houck and Whitlock enjoyed mixed results before going on the IL earlier in the summer, they’re certainly upgrades over some of the pitchers on whom the Red Sox have been relying in their absence.

Incrementally, the Red Sox will be better next week than they were on Monday. That much is inarguable.

The real question, however, is: will any of it matter?

Yes, the cavalry is coming. But are they arriving too late to save the season.

Only 10 or so days ago, that question would have been absurd. Then, the Red Sox were 11/2 games out of the final wild-card spot and surging in the AL East standings.

But then came an uneventful trade deadline, and a quick nosedive – seven losses in the next eight games before Monday’s win, and some unnecessary clubhouse drama over the weekend, finished off by a sweep at the hands of the Blue Jays, the team they were chasing down for a wild-card spot.

Suddenly, the Red Sox looked like they had surpassed their sell-by date. In no time, their playoff window seemed to slam shut.

Like the New England weather, the playoff picture can change in a heartbeat. Don’t like the way it looks now? Give it a day.

All season, the Red Sox have pointed to the anticipated return of Story, in particular, as the equivalent of a trade deadline acquisition. Even better, they would add, he comes at no player cost to them.

It’s inarguable that Story, surgically-repaired elbow and all, is a considerable upgrade over the soft parade of infielders the Red Sox have auditioned at the position:

Kiké Hernández, Yu Chang and Pablo Reyes. Story is athletic and dependable. He’ll make plays and throws the others couldn’t, he’ll steal more bases, and he’ll be a much bigger offensive contributor.

Eventually, that is.

However, it’s important to remember that Story hasn’t played a big league game in 11 months. For the first week or so, he’s going to be available only every other game, and not that he doesn’t already realize it, but he’s about to be reminded that there’s a big difference between Triple-A pitching and major league pitching. Sure, he could get hot right out of the gate, but he could also go 2 for 22 as he gets his feet underneath him.

As for Sale, well, the risk is obvious. Sale will take the mound Friday with the knowledge that any of his pitches that night could be his last for this season, and perhaps, for his career. Never mind not being promised any tomorrows; at this stage of his career, Sale isn’t guaranteed the next inning.

Sale made 11 starts before suffering the stress reaction in his left shoulder blade June 1. That is the most starts he’s made in a single season since 2019. Sale could potentially have 10 or so starts remaining this season, and if he pitches anything like he did in May, the Red Sox’s rotation will improve immeasurably.

But it’s a cold, hard truth that he could be back on the IL before the weekend concludes. In the last two years, he’s been derailed by rib, finger, wrist and shoulder injuries. Whatever the complete opposite of teflon is, that’s Sale.

Meanwhile, the bar is lower for Houck and Whitlock, who need only be an improvement over some of the flotsam and jetsam the Red Sox have been running out in some of their many bullpen games to represent an enhancement. At the same time, neither has a track record of sustained success at the major league level, though, at the very least, it would seem Whitlock could have more of an impact in relief, where he’s had the most success.

If all four return and click, the Red Sox could be formidable. And the results of this past weekend notwithstanding, neither the Blue Jays or Yankees are demonstrably better.

Even the schedule can help. Monday began a stretch of 10 games against opponents with losing records. If the Sox go 7-3, they could make up some ground quickly.

But the margin for error is pretty thin, and the Red Sox have yet to demonstrate any consistency. Not even Monday night’s walk-off thriller changed the math – the Sox remain five games out, their biggest deficit since mid-June. They’re capable of playing well for a week and a half, only to follow that with a stretch in which they’re execrable, as they showed over the weekend.

So Story, Sale et al will try to ride to the rescue and provide a lift. The Red Sox will take any help they can get.

But it’s hard not to think that the bailout, welcome as it may be, is too little, too late.

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