The San Francisco Giants are confident Marcelo Mayer won't need long on his rehab assignment, and he could report to the big leagues in less than two weeks.
The San Francisco Giants were big-time sellers at the trade deadline, but they also made a shocking move by acquiring Marcelo Mayer from the Boston Red Sox.
Things weren't working out for the 23-year-old in Boston, as crazy as that is to say for a team that's a fast riser in the American League.
That said, Mayer hasn't played in an MLB game since Thursday, June 25. The California native was placed on the 10-day Injured List due to a stress reaction in his left forearm, but now he's nearing a return.
Manager Tony Vitello was thrilled to see Mayer as part of the team's festivities on Friday, Aug. 7, and a rehab assignment is the next logical step before he debuts with the Giants.
Mayer's rehab assignment is right around the corner
According to NBC Sports Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic, "The Giants don't think he'll need many games in Triple-A, and it seems reasonable for him to join them on the next road trip, which happens to take them to Boston."
Sure enough, the Red Sox are on the schedule from August 21-23. If everything goes according to plan, though, that could mean Mayer is projected to play his first game in a Giants uniform against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, Aug. 18.
Mayer was slashing just .220/.282/.312 with the Red Sox. In his 205 at-bats, he had a 0.0 WAR, which is part of the reason why they were so quick to give up on him. For reference, he slashed .228/.272/.402 a year ago, and his .674 OPS was slightly above the .594 it is this season.
It's not like the Giants needed another infielder, but Mayer happened to come in at the right time now that they traded Luis Arraez and injuries have plagued Casey Schmitt and Matt Chapman.
Mid-to-late August debut is expected
While the Giants aren't in the midst of a playoff push where they desperately need players back and healthy, this is a crucial final month and a half for Mayer in a new environment.
The left-handed batter would love to prove that his time in Boston was a fluke, and he has a lot more to bring to the table.
San Francisco's mission to get younger was certainly accomplished; it's just a matter of whether Mayer is the answer, or if they'll have to look to any of their recently acquired pieces.
For at least the remainder of the 2026 season, it'll be interesting to see how Mayer meshes with the likes of Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Bryce Eldridge, and the rest of this team, as the only thing they have to play for is pride.
