Red Sox Considering Playing Marcelo Mayer at Different Position

Before the series finale against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, Mayer told Healey that he spoke to Tracy about his willingness to play shortstop and is going to start practicing there for the first time all year.

“Obviously, that’s home to me," Mayer said. "That’s where I’ve played my whole life. And we’ve had some discussions, going to get some reps there in practice whenever I can. But wherever Trace [tells] you to play, that’s what it’s going to be, whether it’s short, third, second. I’m just here to help the team.”

Mayer's campaign for the role not only makes it clear that the team is making preparations for potential bad news on the Story front, but that the young infielder would be thrilled at the opportunity. Given Story's profound struggles at the plate and in the field, it could prove to be the right decision both in the immediate and long-term.

When it became obvious that Mayer would make the Opening Day roster, some believed they should just make the change then and let the young infielder settle in at the position he was likely to eventually assume. But with former manager Alex Cora's commitment to his veteran shortstop established early, it was assumed that Mayer would only get the opportunity if Story missed any significant time.

Tracy, who spent the last four seasons as Triple-A manager of the Worcester Red Sox, has displayed a slightly different philosophy since being promoted to interim manager in Boston, making efforts to get long-time minor leaguers Mickey Gasper and Nick Sogard involved with the big-league club.

Some have wondered if Mayer would benefit from his lengthy history with Tracy, yet the interim manager exercised patience with Story given how impactful he can be when things are going right. Still, a quote from April 28th regarding the infield make-up cracked the door open for speculation when Tracy said that Story would remain the shortstop "for now," while he allows Mayer to "settle in" at second base.

Boston has options at shortstop, but none with more upside than Mayer. The 24-year-old has displayed a tremendous ability to move around the infield, bringing his stellar glove to both second and third base for extended periods in the big leagues. But through his first 85 MLB games, Mayer has yet to start a game at shortstop where he logged 269 games in his minor league career.

The Red Sox are still hoping for more consistent production at the plate, but Mayer's smooth feel for the infield has never wavered. If Story's prognosis results in a lengthy absence, we should expect Boston to act quickly in letting Mayer handle the everyday duties at shortstop.