Just two days ago, the Red Sox made yet another interesting decision regarding their roster. Marcelo Mayer, who had been playing shortstop for the team, was told to start at second base. The reason? Shortstop Trevor Story is healthy again. After signing with the BoSox, Story has missed approximately 200+ games in the last three seasons and has been placed on the injured list 4 times. 

However, now that Story is back in the game, it means that Mayer must play in another position. Mayer was told he would be backing up at second base before Tuesday’s game against the Yankees in Tampa. Mayer handled his lone opportunity and ended up playing four innings. He smacked an RBI triple in his first at-bat and handled his first opportunity against the Tigers on Wednesday with ease. But is his position at 2B safe? 

After seeing Marcelo Mayer playing second base in the spring training, fans wondered if he was in the mix to play that position for the opening day as well. In a recent episode of the podcast The Fenway Rundown, podcasters make some interesting claims. One of the podcasters said, “Don’t see that happening. He hasn’t had a single at-bat at triple-A. It’s kind of hard to imagine him kind of just parachuting onto the major league roster.”

In addition to Campbell and Hamilton, the 22-year-old Mayer, who Boston took with the fourth overall pick in 2021, is still a contender for the Opening Day second base position. Among those demoted to the minor levels was Vaughn Grissom, who came into camp as one of the favorites to play second base. The same goes for Josh Winckowski and Luis Guerrero, two relievers who were strong contenders to complete the bullpen. While the roster has been seeing many changes, even the front office has seen deep cuts under Craig Breslow’s captaincy. 

Breslow isn’t shy about making bold changes in the Red Sox 

Since Craig Breslow took over as the Red Sox’s chief baseball officer, the organization has been in the midst of a major overhaul, both behind the scenes and on the field. There’s been a lot of movement in the front office, with longtime employees leaving or getting let go, and some of those who remain are struggling to adapt to the new direction. Some are excited about the fresh approach, especially when it comes to revamping the pitching infrastructure and player development, while others are trying to find their place in this new era.

He was brought in to break the Red Sox out of their recent mediocrity, and he’s determined to do just that. With only one postseason appearance since their 2018 World Series win and a handful of losing seasons, the team needed a fresh perspective. The problem, though, is that not everyone is on board with the shake-up. While some people see the rapid changes as a chance for growth, others feel the pressure of having to quickly adjust to a new system.

The Sox find themselves at a crossroads. With ticket prices among the highest in baseball, fans are expecting the team to turn things around soon. The high stakes are creating a sense of urgency throughout the organization. It’s hard to say if Breslow’s vision will pay off in the long run, but if his adjustments to the pitching staff and player development system lead to success, the Red Sox could be set for a major resurgence.