Marcelo Mayer’s first game in a Giants uniform might have to wait a little longer, even though the calendar has lined up a tempting stage.
The former Red Sox infielder was surprisingly traded to San Francisco before the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and while that move caught plenty of people off guard, Mayer is already working toward the next step. The problem is his injury. Mayer has not yet debuted for the Giants because of a “bone stress reaction, left ulna,” according to MLB.com.
There is at least a chance - slim, but there - that his first appearance could come in Boston against the team that dealt him away. MLB.com says Mayer “Could join the Giants for their upcoming series at Boston, but the more likely scenario is that he'll be activated when the club returns home next week.”
That makes the upcoming trip to Fenway Park worth watching, even if the expectation is that San Francisco will keep him on the shelf a bit longer. The Giants are in Cleveland right now for a three-game set with the Guardians, and after that they head to Boston for a three-game series beginning Friday.
For Mayer, the timing would be hard to ignore. A debut at Fenway would mean facing his old club in the ballpark he just left behind. But the Giants appear ready to take the cautious route rather than push him back too soon.
Mayer “Began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Aug. 13,” and his status will continue to be monitored as the team decides when to activate him.
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