The Red Sox will be without Marcelo Mayer for at least 10 days after being placed on the injured list ahead of Friday night's game.
Ahead of Friday night's game against the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox announced that rookie shortstop Marcelo Mayer was placed on the 10-day injured list with a bone stress reaction to the left ulna.
It has been an underwhelming first full season at the major league level for the 23-year-old shortstop. The former first-round pick has hit only .220/.282/.312/.594 in 70 games while playing both second base and shortstop.
According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Mayer's injury is similar to the forearm strain that landed fellow infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the injured list on Saturday afternoon.
Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com spoke with Mayer after the rookie was placed on the injured list, where the rookie told him he has been dealing with the injury for two months and that it "got to the point where they had to shut it down." According to Cotillo, Mayer does not have a timeline for his injury, but he will be classified as "week-to-week".
The injury to Mayer is a significant blow to Boston's middle infield depth, which has already lost utility men Nick Sogard and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and shortstop Trevor Story to various injuries over the last month.
Journeyman infielder Tsung-Che Cheng was recalled from Triple-A Worcester to take Mayer's place on the active roster.
About Cheng
The 24-year-old Cheng made his major league debut with Pittsburgh in April 2025, going 0-for-7 in three games. After bouncing around the waiver wire throughout the offseason, Cheng was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox in early February.
In 64 games for Worcester, Cheng has hit .254/.351/.424/.725 with seven home runs and 18 RBI. According to SoxProspects.com, Cheng is a "Small-framed infielder out of Taiwan, minimal projection. Has been age-advanced throughout his career. Contact hitter with a solid approach and batting eye. Below-average power. Plus speed. Reliable defensive shortstop also capable of playing second and third base. Profiles as emergency infield depth."
In other Red Sox injury news
After being sidelined for a few days with hip flexor soreness, infielder Romy Gonzalez resumed his rehab assignment, joining Worcester on Tuesday night. In five games across Double-A and Triple-A, the 29-year-old Gonzalez has gone just 2-for-15 with a two-run home run, while striking out five times and walking once. Gonzalez told WEEI's Rob Bradford he was hoping to be activated ahead of Saturday afternoon's game against the Yankees.
The Red Sox will look to make it two in a row against the Yankees on Friday night in game two of a four-game set at Fenway Park. Payton Tolle (3-5, 3.08 ERA) will get the start for Boston opposite Will Warren (7-2, 3.45 ERA) for New York. First pitch set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
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