As spring training began, the expectation was that if Alex Bregman wasn’t the starting second baseman, the job would go to one of Vaughn Grissom, David Hamilton, or Kristian Campbell. However, a new contender has emerged in the form of Marcelo Mayer.
Mayer, who was given the start at second base alongside Boston’s regular starters, immediately made an impact in the Red Sox’s 6-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and an RBI triple while also playing a solid game in the field. At one point, he turned a smooth double play with Trevor Story.
Ranked as the No. 15 prospect in baseball by Baseball America, Mayer has been impressive throughout spring training. In 16 Grapefruit League games, he has batted .355 (11 for 31) with a home run, two triples, 10 RBI, and a 1.025 OPS. He also hit a home run during the Spring Breakout showcase last week.
Mayer has long been considered a future star, but he was viewed as the least likely of the Red Sox’s top prospects to make the Opening Day roster since he has yet to play at the Triple-A level. Last season, he was promoted to Worcester but didn’t play due to a back injury that cut his season short. Now fully healthy, Mayer is attempting to prove he’s ready to skip Triple-A and make the leap to the big leagues. It will be interesting to see if he gets more playing time at second base during the final week of camp.
Fitts Struggles
Richard Fitts, widely regarded as the favorite for one of the last two spots in the Red Sox’s starting rotation, had a rough outing on Wednesday against the Tigers. He allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over four innings, striking out one and giving up a solo home run to Detroit’s Riley Greene.
Meanwhile, Michael Fulmer, another potential rotation candidate, threw two scoreless innings in relief. Justin Wilson followed suit with a scoreless seventh inning, allowing just one hit. Closer candidate Aroldis Chapman was dominant in the eighth, striking out all three batters he faced. Liam Hendriks allowed a run on two hits in the ninth inning to close out the game.
Duran Homers
Jarren Duran kicked off the game for the Red Sox with a solo home run in the first inning. After the Tigers responded with two runs in the second, Mayer tied the game with an RBI triple in the bottom of the frame.
Following Riley Greene’s home run in the fifth, Roman Anthony tied the score again with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Triston Casas then put the Red Sox ahead with an RBI single, making the score 4-3. Ceddanne Rafaela sealed the win with a two-run single in the eighth inning.
Duran finished the game 2 for 4 with a home run and two runs scored. Connor Wong also went 2 for 3 with a run scored, and Casas reached base three times, going 1 for 2 with two walks.
Upcoming Game
The Red Sox will face the Minnesota Twins for the fifth time this spring on Thursday night. Sean Newcomb is scheduled to start, and Aroldis Chapman, Liam Hendriks, Justin Slaten, and Cooper Criswell are set to pitch in relief. The game is scheduled to begin at 6:05 p.m. and will be broadcast on NESN, NESN 360, and WEEI 93.7 FM.