After he prematurely exited the Boston Red Sox's June 23 game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Marcelo Mayer seems destined for a stint on the injured list.
Mayer was pulled from the game in the bottom of the fifth inning and gestured toward his wrist as he descended into the Red Sox clubhouse to be examined by a trainer. The infielder spoke to reporters after the game with a brace on his wrist and went for an MRI on Thursday. The nature and severity of his injury have not yet been reported.
If Mayer does hit the shelf until his wrist is healed, the Red Sox will need someone to replace him on the roster. Given the team's circumstances, it won't be an easy choice — Alex Bregman isn't playing every day or running at 100% effort after his recent quad injury, and Kristian Campbell still hasn't found his swing down in Triple-A, with a .200/.373/.300 slash line after 23 games. David Hamilton, Nick Sogard and Vaughn Grissom could also be possible call-ups.
Eagle-eyed fans have already started making guesses at Mayer's potential roster replacement, and Grissom could be among the likeliest choices. The infielder isn't slated to start the first game of Triple-A Worcester's July 24 doubleheader in St. Paul, MN. He wasn't in the starting lineup for the July 23 game that was rescheduled, though, so Mayer's injury could have no effect on his playing time.
Red Sox could summon Vaughn Grissom from Triple-A if Marcelo Mayer needs IL stint for hurt wrist
Grissom, whom the Red Sox acquired before the 2024 season in the Chris Sale trade with the Braves, would be an interesting choice to take Mayer's roster spot. Unlike Hamilton, Campbell and Sogard, he hasn't appeared with the Red Sox this season. The infielder posted just 24 games at the big league level last year due to injuries and offensive struggles, but he's had much better luck in Triple-A this year. He's batting .283/.355/.443 with 24 doubles and nine homers in 83 games.
There's no guarantee Mayer will go to the IL, but if he does, it may serve the Red Sox to fill his roster spot with the hottest bat. Campbell, Hamilton and Sogard all have more experience playing with this Red Sox team this season, but Grissom hasn't had a chance to prove himself, and he's swinging better than all of them, with a .386/.420/.636 slash line in July.
It wouldn't be a surprise to see Boston summon Sogard for his defensive versatility, but Grissom's hot streak can't be denied. Hopefully, Mayer doesn't need time on the sidelines, but if he does, the Red Sox could give Grissom another chance in the majors.