Boston Red Sox infielder expected to miss only one spring game.
The Boston Red Sox had a brief injury scare Sunday morning when infielder Marcelo Mayer was scratched from the team’s spring training lineup due to left knee soreness.
The news surfaced shortly before Boston’s Grapefruit League matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays, with reporters noting the late lineup change that replaced Mayer with fellow prospect Mikey Romero.
For a moment, the update raised concern among Red Sox fans given Mayer’s injury history and the importance of his development heading into the 2026 season. But manager Alex Cora quickly downplayed the situation, saying the knee soreness appeared shortly before the game and that the club was simply being cautious.
According to reports, Cora said Mayer is expected to sit out Monday’s road game but should return to the lineup Tuesday.
Cora also noted that veteran shortstop Trevor Story is dealing with nothing more than fatigue from a heavy workload during camp. Story has been doing additional defensive work late in spring training, and the team plans to give him Monday off as well before returning him to the lineup Tuesday.
The update provided reassurance for Boston, particularly because Mayer’s 2025 season was cut short by injury.
The 23-year-old made his major league debut on May 24 last year and appeared in 44 games for Boston before undergoing surgery on his right wrist in August, ending his rookie campaign prematurely. In those appearances, Mayer hit .228 with 8 doubles, 1 triple and 4 home runs, while driving in 10 runs and scoring 20.
Injuries have followed Mayer at various points during his professional career. He has previously dealt with wrist issues, an inflamed shoulder and a lower back problem, which has limited his ability to complete a fully healthy season.
Entering camp this year, though, Mayer arrived fully recovered from last season’s wrist surgery and looking to secure a spot on Boston’s Opening Day roster.
He wasted little time making an impression in Grapefruit League play.
In his first appearance of the spring on Feb. 27, Mayer launched a 381-foot solo home run off Raisel Iglesias of the Atlanta Braves with a 105.3 mph exit velocity.
Through eight games this spring, Mayer has hit .273 with 6 hits, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 3 runs scored and 5 walks across 22 at-bats.
For now, the Red Sox appear confident the knee soreness is minor, and that Mayer will be back on the field before long.
Feb 27, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox second baseman Marcelo Mayer (11) bats in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park. (Jonathan Dyer/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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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.