Red Sox could use former top prospect Marcelo Mayer as trade chip to land impact bat at deadline

Yesterday, the Boston Red Sox put another game in the win column after breaking their 15-game winning streak two days before. This put them in the second Wild Card spot, a place they weren’t even able to conceive just a month ago. 

Because of that streak, the Sox will definitely be buyers at the trade deadline. However, to really land something good, you have to give up something of equal value. Boston has a ton of trade chips, and one of them might be former top prospect Marcelo Mayer. 

Mayer was one Boston’s farm jewels

Coming up the pipeline, Mayer was revered by the Sox. He was ranked No. 5 in the MLB at one point, was their No. 1 prospect for a long time, and then ended being their No. 3 when he was called up. 

He was also part of the Big Three, Boston’s top three prospects set to be promoted to the MLB last season: Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and himself. Although, it’s been a while since his promotion, and he has yet to prove himself.

Mayer could be a top trade chip for Boston

Eric Canha - Imagn Images

Mayer has still yet to settle in for the Red Sox, and he’s played 114 games now over the past two seasons. He’s got career splits of .223/.278/.346/.312 with only 18 doubles, seven home runs, and 32 RBI in those games. 

With that in mind, some MLB analysts believe a change in scenery might be beneficial for him, as well as Boston. He still commands the fact that he was a former top MLB prospect, and some other team might want to take a swing at trying to fix him.

Will Boston shop him around?

Jun 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Marcelo Mayer (11) reacts after a wild throw during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Considering that Boston has Franklin Arias coming up the pipe, Mayer’s claim of being the shortstop of the future is a little shaky. Thanks to Anthony Seigler’s breakout, his claim to being the second baseman has lost some weight as well.

So, shopping him might be in Boston’s best interest. If it can land them a star slugger in return, they should be all for it, as it’s the last thing they need for a real playoff run.

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