Where Things Stand With Red Sox, Marcelo Mayer

It certainly sounds like the Boston Red Sox have a clear path to replacing Alex Bregman at third base.

With Bregman joining the Chicago Cubs this offseason, the Red Sox currently have holes at second base and third base. Boston has Marcelo Mayer, who is expected to play a significant role at one of the positions. The club also has been linked to a handful of trade candidates for both second base and third base.

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While this is the case, The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey reported that the team has a "preference" for Mayer to play third base for the organization over second base.

The Red Sox have a hole to fill

Jul 10, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox third baseman Marcelo Mayer (39) reacts to hitting a one run RBI against the Tampa Bay Rays during the seventh inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

"At [Ranger Suárez] news conference, Breslow couldn’t have made his preference to prioritize infield defense any clearer," McCaffrey wrote. 'Any additions that we may make, we’ll be very mindful of the defensive skill set,' he said. For that reason, free-agent third basemen Eugenio Suárez (minus-4 Outs Above Average in 2025) and Houston trade candidate Isaac Paredes (minus-3 OAA) are less than ideal fits. The Astros, according to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome, have long coveted Wilyer Abreu, whom they traded to Boston as part of a deal for Christian Vázquez in 2022. It’s doubtful the Red Sox would move Abreu for Paredes alone.

"Meanwhile, a team source indicated a preference for Marcelo Mayer to start at third base over second base. The rookie infielder took over third last season after Bregman’s injury and filled in admirably. Staying on the same side of the infield would help the 23-year-old, a natural shortstop, make a transition back to short smoother once Trevor Story’s deal is up following the 2027 season. If Mayer is the leading candidate at third base, the Red Sox may be targeting a strong defensive second baseman."

Mayer made his big league debut in 2025 in place of Bregman at the hot corner when he went down with a quad injury. If the preferred route is playing Mayer at third base, that would make someone like Nico Hoerner, who has been linked to the club a logical fit. But being a logical fit doesn't mean a deal is coming. Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH reported that Hoerner is "unlikely."

Boston also has internal options, like Romy González and David Hamilton. Not exactly what you'd want to see as a Red Sox fan, especially with a surplus of outfielders and not enough room to go around. But that's just the reality. If the Red Sox hadn't traded Vaughn Grissom, he actually would've been an intriguing option for the 2026 season. But here we are. Boston has a hole seemingly at second base without a clear answer.

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