Red Sox pitcher Marcelo Mayer he wants to get a short term, according to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe. Whether you get this opportunity or not depends on how much time you have Trevor’s story he will be missed.
Ndaba has been battling a sports hernia this year and went on the injured list in recent days. If he has surgery, he will miss two months or more, although there is no guarantee that he will go under the knife.
Mayer came up as a shortstop in the minors and also played second and third base. He has played a key role this year and hasn’t even stopped at shortstop, although after Story’s injury, he plans to practice there. He told manager Chad Tracy that he would like to help the team by moving the bag. The captain seems to be open to it if Ndaba will be out for a while, although he is counting on Mayer to stay in the second place if Ndaba is scheduled to return soon.
It’s an understandable position for Tracy. Mayer has played just 84 innings at second in the minors and is still getting used to the position. He’s also 23 years young and still not fully clicking as a big league hitter, sporting a .223/.278/.359 career line. Mayer was once one of the club’s best players and the Sox may be hoping he can be a big part of the future, as he is under control for five more seasons after this one. It makes sense to keep her with her current schedule and not add a new job to her to-do list just to have a brief encounter.
With Story aside, the Sox have been spending a lot Andrew Monasterio in short. Isiah Kiner-Falefa again Nick Sogard he may also step in if Mayer is to remain at the keystone.
There’s also a situation to watch behind the plate, as Healey notes Carlos Narvaez he is dealing with an injury to the middle finger on his right hand. Although Narváez said the finger moved “a little to the side,” X-rays were negative and he may avoid an injured tendon. The injury first appeared on the back of the slide and then worsened when Narváez hit the ball on the end of his bat.
Most clubs have two active players on the roster, so it would be dangerous to keep one unavailable due to everyday injuries. However, the Sox currently have three backstops on the roster, with Mickey Gasper again Connor Wong they also exist. Gasper has been getting at-bats as the designated hitter of late and perhaps that will be less likely if Narváez is unavailable. If Boston wants Gasper’s bat in the lineup, they could put him behind the plate while Narváez is injured, perhaps opening up more DH time Masataka Yoshida.
Turning to circulation, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo suggests that Brian Bello it may be taken out of circulation soon. The righty is having a bad season, with a 7.16 earned run average in 44 innings. The Sox used the opener in front of him in his first two games in May, which went well. He allowed just one run in each inning, going seven innings in the first outing and 6 1/3 in the second. He was used as the regular starter again yesterday but allowed seven earned runs in five innings.
Cotillo notes that Garrett Crochet he is expected to come off the injured list at the end of this month, which could lead to Bello losing his place since his replacement partners are much better than him. Sonny Gray, Guard Suárez, Connelly Early again Payton Tolle all have ERAs of 3.21 or less this year.
Although he signed a multi-year extension with the Sox, Bello has options and could be sent to the minors if the Sox decide that’s what’s best for him and the team. Pitching in the bullpen would be another possibility, though the club may want to think long term. Bello is signed until 2029 with a club option for 2030. Considering he hopes to be a part of the game for years to come, taking it easy might be a good idea. On the other hand, he hasn’t been picked in the minors since April of 2023 and clubs are sometimes reluctant to offload guys after they seem established in the big leagues.
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