Red Sox Announce Marcelo Mayer Will Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

Marcelo Mayer won’t return to the Boston Red Sox this season.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed before Sunday’s game against the Miami Marlins that Mayer will undergo season-ending wrist surgery. The procedure requires a three-month recovery timetable, so the rookie should be ready for next year’s spring training.

Cora assessed Mayer’s “incomplete” first season in the big leagues before a right wrist sprain sent him to the injured list in late July.

“You saw flashes of him offensively,” Cora said of Mayer. “Defensively, he’s a stud. Baserunning-wise, he’s great. Offensively, he’s still (got) some learning to do there. Probably with experience, he was gonna get better. Happy that he was part of this. He’s a big part of the future of the organization, so just get him right, get him ready and see what happens in the future.”

Mayer received an anti-inflammatory injection in hopes of expediting his return, but Cora had expressed uncertainty over the 22-year-old’s progress.

Promoted in May, Mayer hit .228/.272/.402 in 44 games with Boston. The former No. 4 overall pick spent most of his time at third base before shifting to second when Alex Bregman returned from the IL before the All-Star break.

It’s not the first time an injury has cut Mayer’s season short. Left shoulder inflammation prematurely ended his 2023 campaign, and he missed last year’s final two months with a lumbar strain.

“There’s still some growing there, physically,” Cora said. “The stronger he gets, the better he’s going to be. So I’m not concerned.”