BOSTON — Marcelo Mayer’s first home run in the major leagues was met with a less-than-friendly reception as New York Yankee Stadium’s stands erupted in boos during his lap around the bases last week. Yet, the narrative changed markedly at Boston’s Fenway Park.
In a much warmer reception, the Red Sox rookie lit up the scoreboard with two solo home runs, contributing to Boston’s four-total homers in a 4-3 triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night. This victory secured Boston’s win in the three-game series against the Rays.
Marcelo expressed his preference for the support, stating, “I’d much rather get cheered than booed. I love the energy that Fenway Park brings. It’s something that I’ll remember the rest of my life.”
Since his major league introduction on May 24, the 22-year-old Mayer has played 15 games. His recent achievement makes him the youngest Red Sox player to achieve a multi-homer game since Rafael Devers did it in 2018. Notably, he is the third-youngest in team history to accomplish this in his first five career games, surpassed only by Billy Conigliaro, aged 21, and Ted Williams, at just 20.
Manager Alex Cora praised Mayer’s outstanding performance, noting, “It was a good one. They had a good game plan going into it and they executed it.”
Mayer himself commented on his growing confidence with each at-bat, attributing his progress to the diligent guidance from the Red Sox’s coaching staff. “The process always stays the same. I feel more comfortable every single day I’m here,” said Mayer. “All the adjustments I’ve made have helped me a little more on the timing.”
The Red Sox will enjoy a day off on Thursday before embarking on a three-game face-off against the Yankees beginning Friday. Although Mayer has squared off against the Yankees before, this series marks his inaugural encounter with Boston’s rivals at home in Fenway Park.
Anticipating the event, Mayer said, “I know this place is going to be rocking. We’ll see what happens.”