Going into spring training, there were questions surrounding Boston Red Sox prospect Marcelo Mayer. Just where was he going to play for manager Alex Cora, if he even made the Opening Day roster?
Messages were being sent back and forth between Cora and Mayer about his situation. In the overall big picture, Cora made the point that nothing was given, and Mayer knew he had to earn it. When Alex Bregman left in free agency for the Chicago Cubs, Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow pivoted to adding pitching.
The thought was that Mayer was going to have a chance to start at third base. However, a trade before spring training started where Boston acquired Caleb Durbin from the Milwaukee Brewers. He ended up earning third base for Opening Day. In the end, he earned and will be the starting second baseman on Thursday against the Cincinnati Reds in Ohio.
It isn’t surprising that Mayer won the job; however, what is surprising is one bold prediction from Mike Axisa of CBS Sports about Mayer.
Boston Red Sox Prospect Marcelo Mayer Gets Bold 2026 Prediction
Axisa made one bold prediction for each MLB team ahead of Opening Day. His for the Red Sox was certainly bold.
Prediction: Marcelo Mayer will finish the season as the starting shortstop.
Well, that certainly jumps off the screen at you. Mayer will end the season in place of Trevor Story at shortstop, sliding over from second? Even more bold is that Story will end the season at second base.
“All indications are Mayer will open the season at second base with Trevor Story at shortstop and, honestly, it feels backwards. Story’s defense has slipped as he’s gotten into his mid-30s, which is a completely normal thing, but it is getting to be something the Red Sox can’t overlook much longer,” Axisa wrote.
Sure, Story isn’t getting any younger, and his injury history is a cause for concern, but as Axisa pointed out, Story has played second base before, when he came to the Red Sox.
“Remember, Story played second base when he first signed with the Red Sox. It was only after Xander Bogaerts left as a free agent that he slid back over to short. I boldly predict the defensive gap between Mayer and Story will become too much to ignore, and they’ll swap positions at midseason. Mayer finishes the year at short with Story at second,” wrote Axisa.
Boston Red Sox Have Multiple Infield Options
If something happened to Mayer or Story, Cora has other options. Kristian Campbell and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are a couple of options that can move around the infield. Story is the key to the Red Sox infield in 2026, and if he can stay healthy, that will allow Cora to play everyone where they’re comfortable.
However, to say that Mayer will end the season at shortstop for Story and Story ended the season for Mayer is certainly a bold prediction from Axisa to begin the season. It’s a long grind of a 162-game season, but anything is possible.
Boston Red Sox Prospect Gets Bold Prediction Before Opening Day