Mayer (illness) will start at shortstop and bat seventh Friday against the Mariners, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.
Mayer was originally left out of the starting nine because of an illness, but he now appears to be feeling better and will get the nod at shortstop, replacing Isiah Kiner-Falefa (forearm). Mayer's struggles at the plate have continued into June, as he's slashing .172/.265/.310 across 34 plate appearances since the beginning of the month.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Sitting with illness
Rotowire
Mayer isn't in the lineup for Friday's game against the Mariners due to an illness, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
After sitting out Thursday's finale against Toronto, Mayer will miss a second consecutive start Friday while he recovers from his illness. Andruw Monasterio will take over as Boston's second baseman and bat ninth.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Out of lineup Thursday
Rotowire
Mayer is not in the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Blue Jays.
Mayer started each of the previous five contests, but he'll get a breather during Thursday's afternoon tilt. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will occupy shortstop for the Red Sox.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Back in Boston lineup Friday
Rotowire
Mayer (back/neck) will start at shortstop and bat eighth in Friday's game versus the Rangers.
Mayer was held out of Wednesday's lineup versus the Rays due to back and neck stiffness, but he's feeling better after a team off day Thursday. The 23-year-old is sitting on a .600 OPS with three home runs and three stolen bases this season.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Held out with back/neck stiffness
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Mayer is absent from Wednesday's lineup versus the Rays due to back and neck stiffness, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy is hopeful that Mayer will be available to pinch hit. However, with a team off day looming Thursday, the club could elect to stay away from Mayer on Wednesday with the goal of having him return to the lineup Friday, when the Red Sox begin a three-game set against the Rangers.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: On bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Mayer is out of the lineup for Wednesday's contest at Tampa Bay.
The left-handed-hitting Mayer will get a rare day off versus a right-handed starting pitcher, as the Rays are sending Drew Rasmussen to the bump. Isiah Kiner-Falefa will handle shortstop for the Red Sox, leaving Andruw Monasterio to cover second base.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Taking seat Friday
Rotowire
Mayer is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Yankees, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
With lefty Ryan Weathers on the mound for New York, Mayer is getting the night off from the starting nine, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa is making the start at shortstop and batting sixth. Mayer is slashing an underwhelming .222/.283/.296 with two homers, 14 RBI, 16 runs scored, three stolen bases and a 12:32 BB:K across 181 plate appearances this season.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Makes first start at shortstop
Rotowire
Mayer went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's 6-5 loss to the Twins.
Mayer singled in a run that gave the Red Sox a brief lead during Boston's three-run fourth inning. Sunday marked his first start of the season at shortstop, as he'll be the primary fill-in for the injured Trevor Story (abdomen), who underwent surgery and is not expected back until at least late June. Mayer, who entered the game on a 2-for-20 run, is slashing .214/.277/.577 over 47 contests.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Will start seeing time at shortstop
Rotowire
Interim manager Chad Tracy said Friday that Mayer will start at shortstop Sunday against the Twins and will see extended playing time at the position while Trevor Story (abdomen) recovers from sports hernia surgery, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Story is expected to be sidelined 6-to-10 weeks following surgery Thursday, and the Red Sox have been using multiple players at shortstop this week. Nick Sogard is starting there Friday, and Andruw Monasterio and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have both seen action at the position. With Mayer kicking over from second base, those same players will likely fight for playing time at second. Mayer hasn't played shortstop at the major-league level since his first two career games last May.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Taking seat against southpaw
Rotowire
Mayer is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Blue Jays.
With a left-hander (Eric Lauer) on the hill for Toronto, the left-handed-hitting Mayer will bow out of the lineup for the series finale. He'll be replaced in the starting nine by Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who will man second base and bat eighth.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Bat coming around
Rotowire
Mayer went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 5-0 win over Toronto.
Mayer's bat has come around over the last week. His batting average stood at .173 through the first 18 games played, but he's up to .243 with an 8-for-18 stretch that includes three doubles and four RBI over the last seven contests. All of his starts have come against right-handers, but interim manager Chad Tracy said Monday that he's open to giving Mayer opportunities against left-handers, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Not in Tuesday's lineup
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Mayer is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Twins, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Mayer has a .591 OPS through 15 games this season and is 3-for-26 over his past eight contests. He'll sit Tuesday in favor of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who is starting at second base and batting ninth versus Minnesota righty Mick Abel.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Impacts win off bench
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Mayer entered Thursday's game as a pinch hitter and went 2-for-2 with a double and a run scored in a 3-0 win over Cincinnati. He finished the game at second base.
Mayer was held out of the starting lineup against a lefty but got his chance after Reds starter Andrew Abbott was removed. Pinch hitting for Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Mayer led off the seventh inning with a double and scored the game's first run. He later led off the ninth with a single that triggered a two-run frame. Red Sox manager Alex Cora plans a three-player platoon at second base with Mayer against righties, while Kiner-Falefa and Andruw Monasterio handle southpaws. Mayer should get his first start Saturday against Reds' right-hander Brady Singer.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Should return Tuesday
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Mayer (knee) is expected to rejoin Boston's Grapefruit League lineup Tuesday against Atlanta, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.
The 22-year-old was scratched from Sunday's spring lineup due to left knee soreness and will rest again Monday, but the injury doesn't appear to be a serious concern. After posting a .674 OPS in 44 regular-season games as a rookie last season, Mayer's .816 OPS through 27 plate appearances in spring training put him in strong position to win the starting job at second base to begin 2026.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Lifted from lineup with sore knee
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Mayer was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Twins due to left knee soreness, Christopher Smith of MassLive.com reports.
The Red Sox haven't provided further details regarding the severity of the issue, but Mayer will presumably need at least a couple days off to recover from the injury. He's enjoyed a strong spring with an .816 OPS and 5:6 BB:K in 27 plate appearances, which appears to have given him the inside track for the Red Sox's everyday second base job.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Not guaranteed to make roster
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Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Sunday that Mayer is "doing a good job" but wouldn't guarantee the young infielder will make the Opening Day roster, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.
The 23-year-old is batting just .200 through four spring training games, though one of his two hits was a home run. Mayer struggled to a .228/.272/.402 slash line in 44 regular-season games as he received his first taste of the majors in 2025, and the offseason acquisitions of Caleb Durbin and Isiah Kiner-Falefa have resulted in a more crowded infield. If Mayer doesn't win a starting job, the Red Sox could prioritize getting him everyday opportunities in the minor leagues rather than keeping him in the majors as a bench option.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Should be healthy for spring
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Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said Monday that Mayer's recovery from right wrist surgery had progressed to the point that he could have been available had the team made a deep postseason run, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports.
That suggests Mayer -- who underwent a right wrist arthroscopy in August -- should be fully recovered well ahead of spring training. As things currently stand, Mayer could open the 2026 season as the starter at either second or third base, though much will depend on what additions the Red Sox make to their roster.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Surgery deemed successful
Rotowire
The Red Sox announced that Mayer underwent a successful right wrist arthroscopy Wednesday, Lauren Campbell of MassLive.com reports.
After initially spraining his wrist in late July, Mayer had hoped that a cortisone shot plus extended rest and recovery time would be enough for him to heal up from the injury and return to action before the end of the season, but surgery was ultimately deemed necessary. Mayer has now sustained season-ending injuries in each of the last three years, as his 2023 campaign was cut short by a shoulder injury, and his 2024 season ended prematurely due to lumbar strain. The 22-year-old -- who previously suffered the same wrist injury in 2022 but avoided surgery -- will face a three-month recovery timeline from his procedure, putting him on track to be back to full health ahead of spring training. Mayer will likely need a strong camp to solidify himself as an everyday player for the Red Sox heading into 2026, after he produced a .228/.272/.402 slash line with a 30.1 percent strikeout rate over 136 plate appearances with Boston prior to being shut down with the sprained wrist.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: Requires season-ending surgery
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Mayer will require season-ending surgery on his sprained right wrist, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.
Shortly after being placed on the 10-day injured list July 25, Mayer received an anti-inflammatory shot, but the rookie's wrist didn't respond as well as the Red Sox had hoped. The 22-year-old has opted for a permanent fix for the injury and is expected to face a three-month recovery, per Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. Mayer should be back to full health ahead of spring training, when he'll likely have to compete for a starting role after slashing just .228/.272/.402 with four home runs over his first 44 big-league games.
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Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer: 2025 return uncertain
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Manager Alex Cora said Friday that Mayer (wrist) has begun taking dry swings, but it's unclear if he will return this season, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.
Mayer's recovery from right wrist soreness has been slow, even after undergoing an anti-inflammatory injection at the start of August. The 22-year-old began playing catch this week and has now begun swinging a bat. While it didn't initially seem like the injury would threaten to sideline Mayer for the rest of 2025, Cora was non-committal when asked about the rookie's return this season.
