A wild rumor has put a strange new spin on why the Boston Red Sox moved on from Marcelo Mayer.
Boston sent the 23-year-old former top prospect to the San Francisco Giants just before the MLB trade deadline, getting left-handed reliever Erik Miller and minor league outfielder Carlos Gutierrez back in the deal. At the time, Mayer’s exit was framed around baseball realities: a rushed development path, multiple injuries, and a player who was reportedly eager for a fresh start on the West Coast after a difficult run in Boston.
But now the trade is being dragged back into the spotlight by a circulating Reddit theory that has grabbed attention among baseball fans. The unverified post claims the real issue had nothing to do with the box score and everything to do with personal tension inside the organization, supposedly involving Roman Anthony and his family.
According to the online rumor, Mayer and Anthony were involved in a major falling out that started with Anthony’s sister, Lia. The post alleges that Mayer had been secretly hooking up or sleeping with her behind Roman’s back.
Once Roman supposedly found out, the theory says, the relationship between the two prospects turned sour fast enough that the Red Sox front office had to intervene. In that version of events, Boston ultimately dealt Mayer to the Giants to separate the two.
Lia Anthony has drawn her own attention since 2025, when she picked up thousands of followers after attending Roman’s debut game.
On the field, Mayer had played 70 games in the 2026 MLB season before going on the 10-day injured list with a forearm injury. He is batting .220 with 3 home runs and 22 RBIs.
Anthony, meanwhile, played 30 games in the 2026 MLB season before landing on the 60-day injured list. He is batting .229 with 1 home run and 5 RBIs.
In Other News...
Giants Young Core Is Already Putting Pressure On This Deadline Reset
The Giants deadline reset has already changed the look and feel of the roster, with six major-leaguers shipped out and eight prospects brought in to give the club a younger, less experienced group. The new wave includes Tristan Beck, Reiver Sanmartin, Carson Seymour, Blade Tidwell, Buddy Kennedy and Eddys Leonard, and the early returns have made it clear this is not just a future-facing move on paper. Some of those additions have already been asked to contribute at the big-league level, while Osleivis Basabe has also given the staff a few encouraging moments in limited action.
For manager Tony Vitello, the challenge now is less about squeezing out the short-term roster and more about developing what the Giants just chose to build around. The pressure comes from the fact that young players do not wait around for a plan to mature, and every appearance becomes part of the evaluation. With the club leaning into that reset, the next few weeks should offer a clearer picture of which of these new pieces can turn a deadline gamble into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Now Face A Brutal Matt Chapman Decision
Matt Chapman has been out since July 1 with a core muscle injury, and the Giants have already had to keep adjusting around his absence. An MRI confirmed the issue, and with Casey Schmitt also dealing with a knee injury and Luis Arraez gone in a trade, San Franciscos infield picture has been getting thinner at exactly the wrong time.
Now the next step is a full evaluation with Dr. William Meyers, and that visit will go a long way toward clarifying Chapmans path back. The Giants still do not have a clean answer on when he can return, and with the roster already patched together, they are left waiting on the kind of medical decision that could shape the rest of their season. [Read more 🡒]