I have never doubted this.
I'm a huge fan of defense, especially at SS. When we signed Story, I argued we play Bogey at 2B.
I just said, Bogey was better on O, and Story was better on D. I never said who was better, overall.
Bogey was not really showing major signes of decline on offense, as measured by OPS+ and wRC+, but his RBI totals fell off a cliff in '21 (and continued after the MVP mandated comp period.)
At the end of 2021, I think they were similar in overall value. The known injury to Story was the wrench in the comp, at the time.
Story's OPS+ in 2021 was 102, which may have been related to the known injury.
I think the difference on offense at the end of 2021 was "significant." Previous seasons:
Bogey>Story OPS+ in reverse order of seasons:
2021: 129>102 +28% better
2020: 128>120 +8% better
2019: 139>120 +19% better
2018: 135> 127 +8% better
2017: 95> 84 +11% better
2016: 111> 122 -11% worse (6 years before the comp time.)
2018-2021
134>117 (+17% better)
2019-2021
133>110 (+23% better)
OOA 2018-2021
+6 Story
-25 Bogey
DRS
+43 Story (4296 innings)
-26 Bogey (4158)
They were very close in overall value after 2021- just in very disticntly different ways.
'18-'21
16.0 Bogey fWAR (20.1 bWAR)
15.9 Story fWAR (19.9 bWAR