Opening Day is just a month away and teams across MLB have complicated roster decisions to make before games begin to matter. The Boston Red Sox are no exception, but their roster conundrums are a bit different than others.
Not only does Boston have a logjam in its outfield to sort out, its infield is still uncertain despite multiple acquisitions in the final days before spring training. Romy Gonzalez is out of the picture for Opening Day due to a shoulder injury that's lingered from last offseason, but that eliminates just one of the Sox's many middle infield options.
In his February 25 Opening Day roster prediction, reporter Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe predicts that Andruw Monasterio will win the year's first start at second base (subscription required). That would push Caleb Durbin over to third base, where he played the majority of his innings in 2025 when he was a National League Rookie of the Year finalist.
Monasterio was a supplemental piece in the Durbin trade that mostly intended to fill the vacancy left at third base by Alex Bregman and Rafael Devers, but he's emerged as a serious contender for the second base job days into camp. He's appeared in three Grapefruit League games so far and he's logged two hits, including a homer, three walks and two RBI.
The Boston Globe predicts Andruw Monasterio will be Red Sox's Opening Day second baseman over Marcelo Mayer
Some fans may be wondering why Marcelo Mayer wasn't mentioned in the Opening Day group. He's been slow-played so far this spring as he continues to monitor his recovery from the season-ending wrist surgery he underwent last offseason. He's scheduled to make his first Grapefruit League appearance on February 27 at second base.
Alex Cora also mentioned that Mayer's spot on the Opening Day roster isn't guaranteed. The skipper needs to see improved offense from Mayer to be comfortable giving him a starting nod. Mayer batted .228/.272/.402 with eight walks and a 30.1 strikeout percentage over his 44 big league games last season. He could be a key part of the Red Sox's improved infield defense, but his offensive contributions need to match up.
If Monasterio cools down at the plate and Mayer, or even Isiah Kiner-Falefa steps up, any one of the three could factor into the Sox's Opening Day starter decisions at second base. Until Mayer has a few spring training games under his belt, Monasterio is an unlikely favorite.