How Does Marcelo Mayer's Injury History Affect the Red Sox in 2026 and Beyond?

Following the news of Marcelo Mayer needing wrist surgery, the former top prospect's injury history may force the Red Sox to reconsider their options for next year.

While Mayer is an incredibly talented player defensively and has shown flashes of offensive potential during his time in the Boston organization, there should be concern over his ability to stay on the field. Since being drafted in 2021, Mayer has yet to play in 100 games in a single season. His career high is 91 games back in 2022, ad between Worcester and Boston this year he appeared in 87.

In 44 games with the Red sox this season, Mayer hit .228/.272/.402 with eight doubles, a triple, four home runs and 10 RBIs. Though most of his value came from his tremendous defense at third base and second base, this is a guy with a career .826 OPS in the minors. He's been viewed as a "sure thing" for quite some time, but the recurring injuries are going to make it hard for the front office to bet their future on him.

Consequently, this offseason will be important for the Red Sox, as they could have to completely turn over the infield should Alex Bregman and Trevor Story both opt out of their contracts. While Story is unlikely to opt out, there is a good possibility that Bregman opts out and returns to the free agent market, meaning first base, second base, and third base will have openings on the depth chart. Realistically, the hope would be that Mayer could slot into either the starting third baseman or second baseman role, but it may not be the best idea to rely on him as a starter until he proves he can stay healthy across an entire season.

Instead, Mayer's health may force Boston to make some difficult choices especially pertaining to how much they’re willing to spend to retain Bregman. There’s no debate surrounding the third baseman's value to the Red Sox this season, and it should be a foregone conclusion they’ll do everything they can to bring him back for next season. But, now that their possible fallback option in Mayer will be recovering from wrist surgery, the team may be forced outside of its comfort zone in negotiations with Bregman.

The team could also pursue Eugenio Suarez this offseason if they feel he’s a possible solution at third base, but he’s certain to have several teams pursuing his services. Mikey Romero could also be called upon, but he's displayed his own inconsistencies and injury woes while steadily climbing the minor league ranks. Romy González—who has bounced between first base, second base, and third base with the Sox—can capably fill in at any spot, but he's best suited for his current short-side platoon role. Maybe the Sox will go the trade route for an infielder, and put resources into acquiring a player like Ketel Marte from the Arizona Diamondbacks. Marte will be 32 years old next season and will be under contract through the 2031 season for at a tolerable price. With Bob Nightengale of USA Today announcing that Arizona will listen to offers for their All-Star second baseman. it makes sense for Boston to at least make a call over the offseason.

All of those options are serviceable at worst, but it's unlikely the team will execute every one of those moves. Retaining Bregman and giving Kristian Campbell another chance against major league pitching would quickly fill some holes, but that would still leave a gap at second base.

As such, for the Red Sox in the long run, the best roster features a healthy Mayer in the lineup. There’s a reason the team loves the young infielder and aren’t ready to move on from him. They’ve seen his talent first hand and know the kind of ballplayer he is when healthy. Unfortunately, that "when healthy" stipulation is starting to creep into "if healthy" territory. Mayer has a bright future ahead of him, but he'll need to do everything in his power this offseason to build toward a more durable, dependable frame—otherwise, the Red Sox may be forced to look for alternatives immediately.