The Boston Red Sox are still somewhat up in the air in the infield for the 2026 Major League Baseball season, but that’s not a bad thing.
Willson Contreras is going to play first base and Trevor Story will play shortstop. Caleb Durbin and Marcelo Mayer are expected to occupy second base and third base with other guys mixed in, like Romy González, Nick Sogard and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Despite the loss of Alex Bregman this offseason, this is a team that has the talent to be even better in 2026 than they were in 2025.
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Even though there were questions for months about who the club could add, that’s not a sign that the club doesn’t believe in who they have. In fact, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez shared a column highlighting one player from each team to watch in Spring Training. For Boston, that player was Mayer. To take it one step further, Gonzalez cited a team source who said that a healthy Mayer could be the difference between Boston being a good team, or a “very good team.”
Red Sox fans should be excited right now
Jul 12, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Marcelo Mayer (39) makes a catch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
“Boston Red Sox: 3B Marcelo Mayer,” Gonzalez wrote. “A team source described it succinctly: “If he’s healthy, it could be the difference between us being good and very good.” And in a jam-packed, hypercompetitive AL East, that could be the difference between making the playoffs and staying home.
“Mayer, 23, struggled through a .228/.272/.402 slash line in 136 plate appearances as a rookie last year, then underwent season-ending wrist surgery. But the Red Sox remain bullish on his potential and will count on him to at least start against right-handers while playing either second or third base (depending on where they slot new infield acquisition Caleb Durbin). Rafael Devers is gone. Alex Bregman is, too. Ketel Marte never arrived. It’s Mayer’s turn.”
That goes to show how highly the club thinks of Mayer with camp kicking off. If he can live up to the hype, maybe the fanbase will forget about the Bregman loss quickly.
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