The Red Sox’s series with the Giants was already going to carry a little extra juice because of Rafael Devers, but the reunion list may end up being shorter than expected.
Devers is set for his first return to Boston since the shocking trade about 14 months ago, though he already faced his former club in San Francisco last year. The other familiar face Boston expected to see was Marcelo Mayer, who was supposed to get his first crack at the Red Sox after being dealt for Erik Miller at this year’s deadline. That part, at least for now, looks shaky.
Giants manager Tony Vitello suggested Mayer may not debut until next week, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Mayer’s rehab assignment has taken longer than the Giants hoped, even though the work itself has gone well. He has been out since late June with a forearm injury that had reportedly been bothering him all season, and he only recently started his rehab stint.
The early numbers in Triple-A have been strong enough to keep the optimism alive. Mayer has posted a 160 wRC+ over 17 plate appearances, while also striking out eight times. A separate note from Giant Hot Takes pointed to a .353 average and 1.099 OPS in 17 at-bats during the rehab run.
There are reasons the Giants might choose to slow things down. A seven-week absence usually doesn’t require a huge ramp-up, but Mayer is now in a new organization that may want more time to evaluate him before deciding how he fits the rest of the way. Keeping him in Triple-A gives them that chance without putting him immediately back in the pressure cooker of Fenway.
There’s also the simple matter of Mayer’s big-league production so far. Over his first 114 games with the Red Sox, he hit .223/.278/.346 with a 69 wRC+. Even if he were fully healthy, the Giants may have been inclined to give him more time in the minors after Boston moved him through his prospect timeline quickly.
So the series may lose a little of the back-and-forth it could have had if Mayer were active. But Devers alone gives this matchup enough edge, and the recent reports about the Red Sox’s issues with their former centerpiece should make sure both sides have plenty of fuel once the weekend gets going.
In Other News...
Trevor Storys Return Just Made One Red Sox Roster Call Much Tougher
Trevor Story is expected to return from the injured list soon, and that alone changes the shape of the Red Sox roster in a hurry. A team that has spent plenty of time sorting through infield looks now has to make room for a regular at shortstop, which pushes a few other moving parts into sharper focus, especially on the bench and around second base.
Nick Sogard has helped make the decision more complicated by playing well enough lately to give Boston a real reason to keep him around, with his defense and on-base work standing out over Anthony Seigler. The Red Sox are also trying to sort out how to handle playing time for Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Jahmai Jones, which means Storys return is not just about who comes off the injured list, but about how the rest of the roster gets reshaped around him. [Read more 🡒]
Roman Anthony's Return Is About To Force A Red Sox Roster Call
Roman Anthony has started his minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Portland, and the Red Sox are already mapping out how he fits back in once he is ready to rejoin the big league club. Boston expects to use him at the top of the lineup as a leadoff hitter and as a designated hitter, which gives the team a clearer sense of his role even as the calendar on the rehab stint can run up to 20 days.
What makes the situation more complicated is the roster pressure around him. Trevor Storys return is also in the mix, and Boston has been juggling playing time for players such as Anthony Seigler and Mickey Gasper while trying to keep the roster balanced. Anthonys comeback figures to help the offense, but it also means the Red Sox will have to make a couple of uncomfortable choices before he is fully back in Boston. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Infield Squeeze Puts Unsung Contributor In Tough Spot
As Trevor Story works his way back into the mix, the Red Sox are once again confronting the kind of infield squeeze that can make even a useful contributor feel a little exposed. Andruw Monasterio has been one of the players smoothing over those cracks, handling multiple positions and giving Boston a flexible option whenever the lineup, the health chart or the matchups shift.
Monasterio has also made clear he understands the business side of it. He has accepted the coaching staffs decisions on playing time and kept producing when called upon, hitting .261 with a 109 OPS+ and a 1.4 bWAR in 87 games. The bigger question now is how much room there will be for that kind of all-around value as the roster gets healthier and the infield gets tighter. [Read more 🡒]