Report: 1 Red Sox player is causing internal frustration

The vibes continue to stink for the AL East-worst Boston Red Sox.

Boston shortstop Marcelo Mayer has some detractors within the organization, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reported on Friday. Mayer has reportedly been causing frustration due to his supposedly-lacking mental toughness and his alleged tendency to withdraw during hitting slumps.

Additionally, McAdam notes that some in the organization have also questioned Mayer’s ability to make himself available through day-to-day minor physical setbacks. You can read McAdam’s full report on the situation here.

This news comes as Mayer was officially placed on the injured list by the Red Sox earlier in the day Friday. Mayer has been dealing with a lingering bone stress reaction to the ulna in his left arm and was previously playing through the issue with occassional maintenance days off.

The lefty-hitting Mayer, still only 23 years old, was Boston’s No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. He debuted for the big-league team in 2025 but has come along slowly and is hitting just .220 with three home runs and 22 RBIs through 70 total games played this season.

Just last month, Mayer was also in focus after butting heads with Red Sox teammate Willson Contreras after a game. That said, Boston has the third-worst record in the AL this season at 33-46, so their issues right now clearly run much deeper than Mayer’s maturity.