Marcelo Mayer Extends Red Sox's Wild 8-Year 2B Streak

The 23-year-old infielder will be Boston's starting second baseman in 2026.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 7:05pm

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The Boston Red Sox have announced that 23-year-old Marcelo Mayer will be their starting second baseman for the 2026 season, continuing an eight-year streak of the team having a different player at the position to start each season.

Why it matters

Second base has been a revolving door for the Red Sox since the retirement of longtime second baseman Dustin Pedroia, with the team having a different starter at the position every year since 2019. Mayer's selection represents the team's hope that they have finally found a long-term solution at the position.

The details

Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that Mayer will be the team's starting second baseman in 2026, noting that Mayer "did an amazing job in the offseason" and that "nothing is given here." Mayer, who is 23 and won't turn 24 until December, has played in 315 minor league games over the past few seasons, slashing .273/.360/.466 with 46 home runs, 205 RBIs, 48 stolen bases and 86 doubles. In 43 Triple-A games in 2025, he hit .271/.347/.471 with an .818 OPS, 9 home runs, 43 RBIs and 5 doubles.

  • The Red Sox officially announced Mayer as their starting second baseman for the 2026 season on March 21, 2026.
  • Mayer, who is 23 years old, won't turn 24 until December 2026.

The players

Marcelo Mayer

A 23-year-old infielder who has been selected as the Boston Red Sox's starting second baseman for the 2026 season.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox.

Dustin Pedroia

The longtime second baseman for the Boston Red Sox who retired in recent years.

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What they’re saying

“Marcelo is going to be our second baseman. I talked to him today. He did an amazing job in the offseason. ... I wanted to push him. Nothing is given here. Obviously, last year wasn't great for him offensively but it's part of the process and he understands that. We have some capable players here that can play second base most of the time, too. It was out of respect for the whole group and understanding there were certain things he needed to do.”

— Alex Cora, Manager, Boston Red Sox

What’s next

The Red Sox will be hoping that Mayer can solidify the second base position for them in 2026 after years of uncertainty at the position.

The takeaway

The selection of Marcelo Mayer as the Red Sox's starting second baseman for 2026 represents the team's hope that they have finally found a long-term solution at a position that has been a revolving door since the retirement of Dustin Pedroia. Mayer's strong minor league performance has the team and its fans optimistic that he can be the answer they've been searching for.