BOSTON — The Red Sox gave at least some consideration to optioning Marcelo Mayer to Triple-A Worcester with All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman returning from the IL.
They instead optioned David Hamilton to clear a roster spot for Bregman who got reinstated Friday after missing 43 games with a right quad strain.
Mayer got called up from Worcester on the day Bregman went on the IL. Twenty-five of the rookie’s 28 starts have come at third base.
But Mayer, who Baseball America ranks No. 8 on its Top 100 list, has not received consistent playing time. He typically sits against left-handed starters. He started on the bench four straight games earlier this week when opponents started a left-handed pitcher vs. Boston.
Optioning him to Worcester would have allowed him to play every day as he continues to develop at age 22. But the Red Sox felt he and the team would be best served for him to remain in the big leagues.
“He’s a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish now and in the future,” manager Alex Cora explained. “He’s a good defender. Offensively, there’s upside. He can also play third. Alex will play two out of three (games) this weekend, two out of three in Chicago, two out of three in Philadelphia. And we see Marcelo playing third base when Alex is not starting.”
The Red Sox return from the All-Star Break next Friday in Chicago vs. the Cubs, then head to Philly for three games. As Cora said, Bregman will play four of those six games while Mayer will start the other two.
Mayer will start at second base Friday against the Rays. He has a .234/.272/.421/.692 line, four homers, six doubles, one triple, nine RBIs, 18 runs, six walks and 34 strikeouts in 37 games (114 plate appearances).
“Marcelo’s going to play a lot of second base,” Cora said.
Cora said he doesn’t see a strict platoon at second base between left-handed hitting Mayer and right-handed hitting Romy Gonzalez. But the manager also didn’t commit to having Mayer start more games against left-handed pitchers.
“We’ll figure out other stuff and we’ll have a second baseman every day, but not a strict platoon,” Cora said.
Cora mentioned that center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela could start at second base once or twice a week. On those days, left fielder Jarren Duran would shift to center field and Roman Anthony would play left field.
Cora and the Red Sox feel comfortable with Mayer playing second base or anywhere in the infield.
“There’s gonna be some adjustments he goes through but I think the internal clock is real,” Cora said. “He’s not going to panic. We know that. The double play is part of it. Fly ball communication is important. But he’ll figure it out. He’s pretty good at what he does.”
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