Red Sox Notebook: Young Stars, Manager Magic, and a Trade Regret

The Big Picture: Growing Pains for Top Prospects

The Boston Red Sox have two highly-touted young players who were supposed to be the future of the franchise. Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony both made their major league debuts recently, but things haven’t gone exactly as planned.

Key Takeaway: Being a high draft pick doesn’t guarantee instant success—staying healthy and adjusting to the big leagues takes time.

Marcelo Mayer: The "Can’t Stay on the Field" Label

Who is he?

Drafted: 4th overall pick in 2021 (that’s really high!)
Age: Only 23 years old
Position: Shortstop

The Problem: Availability

Since 2022, Mayer has averaged only 81 games per season across all levels (minors + majors). His best season was 91 games in 2022.

What happened in Spring Training?

Former manager Alex Cora wouldn’t confirm Mayer made the team until the very last days of camp
Some people criticized Cora for being "too tough"
Turns out: Cora saw something—Mayer hasn’t been able to stay healthy/consistent

Trade Value Right Now

Important: If the Red Sox traded Mayer today, he’d likely only be a "throw-in" (a minor piece added to a bigger deal), not the main attraction.

Roman Anthony: Flashes of Brilliance, Then Injuries

The Debut

Called up 16 days after Mayer
Double the hype (fans were really excited)

The Good News

Has hit well when healthy: .273 batting average, .804 OPS (that’s solid!)

The Bad News

Only played 101 of 204 possible games since debut
Missed time with oblique and wrist injuries

Current Status (as of late July 2026)

Just started swinging off a tee (first step in rehab)
Several more steps needed before return
No guarantee he comes back this season

Chad Tracy: Manager of the Year Candidate?

The Turnaround

Red Sox were 32-46 on June 24 (14 games under .500!)
Under Tracy, they’ve climbed back into playoff contention
Vegas sportsbooks list him as a favorite for AL Manager of the Year (along with Kevin Cash and Will Venable)

The "Small Ball" Revolution

Stat	Details
Sacrifice bunts	24 total through 109 games
Since Tracy took over	22 of those 24!
League rank	Only 3 teams have more
Most since	2015 (30 sacrifices)

Fun Fact: Nobody expected the Red Sox to win with "small ball" (bunting, moving runners over). It’s like they decided to play 1980s baseball—and it’s working!

Favorable Schedule Ahead

The Red Sox have a golden opportunity down the stretch:

27 home games vs. 24 road games remaining
Only one trip out of the Eastern Time Zone (Texas, Sept 15-17)
15 of last 51 games against weaker teams: Angels, Athletics, Giants, Marlins, Royals

Translation: The schedule sets up perfectly for a playoff push.

The Sean Newcomb Mistake

What Happened

Red Sox signed Newcomb as a minor league free agent (Dec 2024)
He made the team out of spring training
Pitched well in 12 games for Boston
Designated for assignment (cut loose) on May 24, 2025 to make room for Luis Guerrero

Since Leaving Boston

Team	Innings	ERA	WHIP	Games
Athletics + White Sox	111	2.35	1.10	76

The KickER

Luis Guerrero (the guy they kept) is now pitching poorly in Triple-A for the Rays
Newcomb is a local kid from Middleboro, MA thriving against them

Lesson: Sometimes teams overthink roster moves. Newcomb was right there, pitching well, and they let him go for someone who didn’t work out.

Broadcast & Fun Notes

Sunday Night Sox-Dodgers on NBC

Play-by-play: Jason Benetti
Analysts: Lou Merloni & Orel Hershiser
Special guest: Clayton Kershaw (joining the broadcast!)
Merloni note: Left "toxic" sports talk radio in 2022, now building a great TV career—does homework, talks to coaches, works the clubhouse

Yankees Old-Timers’ Day (Aug 8)

Johnny Damon attending
Played 4 seasons for Red Sox (2002-2005) + 4 for Yankees (2006-2009)
Splits his allegiance in retirement

Heartwarming Story: Bobby Dalbec & Liam

Liam (16, from Quincy/Atlanta) has Hunter Syndrome (symptoms similar to autism)
Huge Bobby Dalbec fan
Dad met someone connected to Dalbec’s parents at a business dinner
Result: Dalbec sent a signed Yomiuri Giants #29 jersey + photo holding it
Dalbec this year in Japan: Team-high 17 home runs

Summary

Topic	Status
Marcelo Mayer	Talented but injury-prone; trade value minimal right now
Roman Anthony	Great hitter when healthy; currently rehabbing wrist/oblique
Chad Tracy	Manager of Year favorite; implemented unexpected "small ball" strategy
Schedule	Very favorable—mostly home games, weak opponents, minimal travel
Sean Newcomb	Big regret—cut him, he’s been excellent elsewhere
Feel-good moments	Merloni thriving on TV; Dalbec makes young fan’s day

FAQ

Q: Why is Marcelo Mayer still mentioned in trade rumors if he’s injured so much?
A: Because he was a top-5 draft pick and is only 23. Teams hope the talent wins out eventually—he’s a "lottery ticket" other teams might take a chance on.

Q: What is "small ball" and why is it surprising for the Red Sox?
A: "Small ball" means manufacturing runs through bunts, stolen bases, and moving runners over—instead of waiting for home runs. The modern Red Sox have historically been a "hit homers" team, so 22 sacrifices under Tracy is a total philosophy shift.

Q: What does "designated for assignment" (DFA) mean?
A: It’s a roster move where a team removes a player from the 40-man roster. They have 7 days to trade him, release him, or send him to the minors (if he clears waivers). The Red Sox DFA’d Newcomb to make room for Guerrero.

Q: How rare is it for a 14th-round pick (Caleb Durbin) to outperform 1st-rounders?
A: Very rare. The article notes Durbin has been worth more WAR (Wins Above Replacement) than all but six position players picked ahead of him in the 2021 draft. That draft class was historically weird.

Q: Is Roman Anthony’s .804 OPS good for a rookie?
A: Yes! League average OPS is usually around .700-.730. An .804 OPS from a 20-year-old rookie is very promising—if he can just stay on the field.

Originally reported by Peter Abraham (peter.abraham@globe.com | Bluesky: peteabeglobe.bsky.social)

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