A new No. 11 will be manning the infield at Fenway Park in 2026.
When Rafael Devers was shockingly traded away on Father’s Day during the 2025 season, he ended up changing from the No. 11 he wore the first eight and a half years of his career in Boston to No. 16 with his new team in San Francisco. With the Giants having retired Hall of Fame pitcher Carl Hubbell’s No. 11 back in 1944, it took that number off the table for the then-28-year-old third-baseman-turned-designated-hitter-turned-first-baseman.
That also meant Devers’ No. 11 opened up as an option for the Red Sox to hand out to any new players being added to the roster, whether that be via trade or in the way of minor league players getting called up to the majors.
Despite multiple players having the option to nab “sticks” as a number over the course of three and a half months, no one jumped at the opportunity.
But as 2025 comes to a close, one of last season’s newcomers is making the switch.
Just like everyone who has taped over their Mac Jones No. 10 Patriots jerseys, it’s time to break out the duct tape!
Marcelo Mayer is officially switching from No. 39 to No. 11, meaning one of Boston’s most exciting young players will once again be rocking the number once made famous in this region by Drew Bledsoe and Julian Edelman.
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Nate Eaton is also changing numbers, moving from No. 40 to No. 18, while recent trade acquisition Willson Contreras will take over No. 40.
The changes were updated on the Red Sox’s official website on Tuesday.
During Devers’ run in No. 11, he earned three All-Star selections, won two Silver Sluggers, and played a central role on the 2018 World Series team at only 22 years old.
Now, the number passes to Mayer - and with it, at least some added attention.
The 23-year-old infielder is expected to take on a larger role in 2026 after a learning-on-the-job rookie season. Mayer was called up from Worcester earlier than expected in 2025 after Alex Bregman’s quad injury led to infield instability, and slashed .228/.272/.402 while showing flashes of the tools that made him one of the organization’s top prospects in the hot corner.
Where Mayer ultimately settles defensively remains tied to how the rest of the offseason unfolds. He could open the year as the everyday second baseman, or slide over to where he spent most of last season at third, depending on how the roster shakes out.
Either way, Mayer stepping into No. 11 feels symbolic.
It’s not about replacing Devers - that’s impossible. But it does reflect where the Red Sox are headed: turning the page, handing responsibility to the next wave, and seeing who’s ready to carry it.
The number is new. The opportunity is bigger.
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.