Marcelo Mayer and The Red Sox Infield: Is Boston Ready to Make Him an Everyday Starter?
Marcelo Mayer appears to have won Boston’s infield battle, but the bigger question heading into Opening Day is whether the Red Sox are ready to trust him in an everyday role. That uncertainty is what makes him one of the team’s most intriguing storylines right now.
Marcelo Mayer and The Red Sox Infield: Is Boston Ready to Make Him an Everyday Starter? originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Marcelo Mayer has already won the headline part of this story. Alex Cora named him Boston’s primary second baseman, Kristian Campbell was optioned to the minors, and the Red Sox have made it clear they believe Mayer earned this shot. But if you are looking for one last Opening Day storyline with real intrigue, this is it: the battle may be over on paper, yet the fight for everyday at-bats is only just beginning.
That is what makes Mayer such a fun player to watch going into Opening Day. Boston clearly believes in the talent, the glove and the upside. At the same time, Cora has already hinted that the Red Sox will be careful with him early, especially with left-handed pitching lined up at the start of the season.
So this is no longer a question of whether Mayer belongs on the roster. It is a question of how quickly he turns primary second baseman into don’t even think about taking me out of the lineup. Why Mayer has the inside track to stay in the lineup The biggest case for Mayer starts with the fact that Boston trusts everything except the final offensive polish.
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