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When will Boston Red Sox’ Marcelo Mayer play in a spring training game?
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- When will Boston Red Sox’ Marcelo Mayer play in a spring training game?
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Marcelo Mayer will appear in his first spring training game for the Red Sox on Friday.
He’ll start at second base, manager Alex Cora said.
Mayer is competing for a spot on the Red Sox ’ Opening Day roster. While he’s likely to be in Cincinnati when Boston opens the 2026 regular season against the Reds on March 26, Cora said it’s not a given. He needs to earn the job .
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The 23-year-old missed the final 58 games of the 2025 regular season with a wrist injury that required surgery Aug. 20 .
Mayer was slightly behind because of the surgery, but he’s ready to go.
“He’s doing everything,” Cora said. “He’s just adding like the velo machine and the Trajekt. He’s doing the Trajekt (pitching machine) again today. I think it’s the third time in the last four, so he’ll be ready for games on Friday.”
A Trajekt pitching machine simulates any major league pitcher’s windup and repertoire for hitters to prepare.
Cora said last week he wants Mayer to show more offensively this spring to make the Opening Day roster. As a rookie in 2025, Mayer batted .228 with a .272 on-base percentage, .402 slugging percentage, four home runs, eight doubles, one triple, 10 RBIs and 20 runs in 44 games (136 plate appearances).
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If he does make the team, it’s still unclear whether he will play third base or second base. That’s because the Red Sox have not yet decided whether Caleb Durbin will be their starting second baseman or third baseman .
Durbin is starting at third base Tuesday against the Pirates. He also started there Saturday against the Blue Jays. He’ll make his first spring training start at second base soon, likely Thursday.
Most of Durbin’s work during team drills in camp has been done at third base.
Mayer, meanwhile, came up through the minors as a shortstop, but he’s working at both second base and third base with Trevor Story starting at shortstop.
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He had zero defensive runs saved in 248 ⅔ innings at third base for Boston last year. He had minus-1 defensive runs saved in 57 innings at second base.
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