The struggling Boston Red Sox, who entered the 2025 season with high expectations, found themselves fighting just to get back to the .500 mark as they played their 52nd game of the season on Friday.
But even as they were enjoying a golden opportunity to even their record at 26-26 as they faced the the last place (16-32) Baltimore Orioles in the first game of a doubleheader at Fenway Park, they got some of the worst news possible — the team’s leading hitter and to this point in the season, best all-around player, was forced to exit the game in the bottom of the fifth with an apparent leg injury.
The Red Sox later announced that third baseman Alex Bregman was suffering from “left quad tightness.”
Abraham Toro in to replace him
The specter of a prolonged Bregman absence immediately raised the possibility that the Red Sox No. 2 prospect, 2021 fourth overall draft pick Marcelo Mayer, could finally receive the call to join the big league club.
But if the Red Sox were planning on elevating Mayer to Boston, they were showing no sense of urgency to get it done. According to MLB.com Red Sox corespondent Ian Browne, Mayer remained in the starting lineup for the Worcester Red Sox, who were set to play a 4 p.m. game on Friday afternoon.
That would rule Mayer out for the second game of the Red Sox doubleheader against the Orioles, an appearance Mayer could easily make otherwise. Worcester, Massachusetts, is located only about one hour by car west of Boston.
“Your best response if Bregman is out for some time?” wrote Section 10 podcast co-host Tyler Milliken on his social media account. “Try to convince Rafael Devers to play third base again (good luck). Marcelo Mayer at shortstop and Trevor Story to the bench in some type of platoon role.”
The 22-year-old Mayer, however, has also played third base in the minor leagues, and some experts predict that he will move to the hot corner permanently once he arrives at the Major League level.
Coming off a dismal, 26-34 finish in the pandemic-truncated 2020 season, the Red Sox found themselves in the unfamiliar position of receiving a top-five pick in the coming year’s draft. They used that pick on Mayer, a high school shortstop from Chula Vista, California, a suburb of San Diego. The Red Sox signed him with a $6.6 million bonus.
But a series of injuries, ending both his 2023 and 2024 minor league seasons, have delayed his trajectory to the Major Leagues.
In any case, a lengthy absence by Bregman would deal a bad blow to the Red Sox hopes of picking up their pace and qualifying for the postseason in 2025, for the first time since 2021. Signed to a three-year, $120 million free agent contract about a week into spring training, the former Houston Astros third baseman has not been a disappointment.
Bregman leads the Red Sox with a .935 OPS and batting average at .297 (for players with at least 150 at-bats). Until Friday, he has been one of the Red Sox’ most durable players, appearing in 51 of the team’s 52 games. Only full time designated hitter Rafael Devers has appeared in every Red Sox game.
With six defensive runs saved, Bregman — a 2024 Gold Glove winner — has also been the Red Sox best infielder.
Red Sox Bad News: $120 Million Star Exits Game — Will Marcelo Mayer Get Call?