Red Sox Shift Marcelo Mayer to Shortstop Amid Trevor Story's Injury

The Boston Red Sox are moving Marcelo Mayer to shortstop for the first time in his MLB career following Trevor Story's season-ending sports hernia surgery. Interim manager Chad Tracy announced the position change, with Mayer expected to make his first MLB start at shortstop on Sunday. The decision comes as the team looks to fill a major void in their defense and lineup with Story out indefinitely.

Mayer, 23, has spent his entire minor league career as a shortstop and was projected to stick at the position despite his 6'3" frame and average speed. His defensive tools, fluidity, instincts, and arm strength, have always been his strengths. The Red Sox hope those traits will translate to success at the MLB level, even if he won’t be the most flashy defender.

Mayer is currently working with interim bench coach and infield instructor José David Flores to refine his positioning and mechanics. He will remain at second base for Friday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins but is expected to transition full-time to shortstop in the coming days. Tracy said Mayer is still “ironing some things out in drills” but is progressing well.

Mayer’s MLB career has been a mixed bag offensively. He's hitting .221/.290/.313 in 146 plate appearances this season with only two home runs. His time at second base has been steady defensively, though his offensive struggles have contributed to a Boston infield that, outside of Willson Contreras, has been underwhelming at the plate.

The move opens up second base for a combination of utility players including Nick Sogard, Andruw Monasterio, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Sogard, who started at shortstop on Friday, is also taking reps at third base, a role previously held by Caleb Durbin. Durbin has shown defensive promise at second base but has struggled offensively this season.

The Red Sox have one of the most promising shortstop prospects in the game in Franklin Arias, but the 20-year-old is currently at Double-A and not a near-term option. With Mayer at shortstop and Sogard or Kiner-Falefa at second, the team will rely on defensive reliability and versatility in the short term.

The Red Sox will host the Twins in a three-game series beginning Friday night. The shift in the infield could have immediate defensive and offensive implications as the team looks to stay competitive in the AL East. The next test will come Sunday, when Mayer is set to make his first MLB start at shortstop.