Marcelo Mayer made the Boston Red Sox's Opening Day roster after weeks of chatter and lived out a moment he was dreaming of.
Boston faced off against the Cincinnati Reds on the road and won its first game of the 2026 Major League Baseball season. It was a battle between two really good starting pitchers in Garrett Crochet and fellow lefty Andrew Abbott.
Both hurlers pitched. When the Reds took Abbott out and put in the righty Pierce Johnson, Boston took advantage and pinch hit young infielder Marcelo Mayer for Isiah Kiner-Falefa. The move paid off in a massive way. Mayer didn't get the start on Thursday because of the lefty on the mound, but he made the most of his opportunity once he did get into the action in his first major league Opening Day of his career. Mayer led off the seventh inning with a double and then eventually scored the first run of the game on a base hit from Ceddanne Rafaela. That's not all, though. He got another base hit in the ninth inning and then was driven in by Trevor Story to give the Red Sox more insurance.Feb 17, 2026; Lee County, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer poses for a photo during media day at JetBlue Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Overall, Mayer went 2-for-2 with two of Boston's three runs scored. After the game, Mayer opened up while speaking to "I'm not really sure, I just try to stay ready for the moment," Mayer said. " makes it clear that when you don't start the game, he's going to put you in and you've just got to be ready when your number is called. Obviously, Crochet did a great job keeping us in it. It's easy when our bullpen and our starters put up zeros.", this was Mayer's first Opening Day with the big league club. Both started the season down in the minors last year. Anthony was always guaranteed throughout camp to be on the team, to say the least. Red Sox manager Alex Cora challenged Mayer along the way to earn the job out of camp"It was great," Mayer said. "This is every kid's dream. I got a cup of coffee last year, but to be on the Opening Day roster is special. To be with the team throughout the whole season is special. I was definitely tearing up during the anthem a little bit. Means a lot to me, a lot to my family, everybody supporting me back home. I'm super excited for the season." Mayer earned his place on the roster out of camp and showed a little bit of what he can do for this team on Thursday. Again, what a day for Boston.Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick received an MBA at Brandeis University. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Boston Red Sox On SI, please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@moreviewsmedia.com
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