The Red Sox come second to none in the league when it comes to rookie debuts this season, with guys like Roman Anthony, Kristian Campbell, and Marcelo Mayer all making their mark. And for the most part, those young players have delivered. But then, injuries stepped in, and Anthony had to be sidelined at least till October 1. Mayer also underwent wrist surgery back in August. And at the time, the three-month recovery window made it seem like his season, and even a return in early 2025, was off the table.

Now, though, just as the Red Sox are one win away from clinching their first playoff spot since 2021, there’s a surprising twist! One of their promising rookies might actually make it back in time. Marcelo Mayer! “I bet he’s pushing,” manager Alex Cora mentioned.

“Alex Cora says that Marcelo Mayer is making a push to be available for later in the Postseason. He’s out of the brace and already doing baseball activities,” Boston Strong cited MLB insider Mac Cerullo.

Surely, exciting news for the Red Sox because both Anthony’s and Mayer’s absence is hurting the team badly. Here’s a glimpse to back it up…

Before Anthony’s injury, the team was averaging 5.4 runs per game in July. But in the next 10 games since Anthony went down, the offense has cooled off. They’re hitting just .244, managing only 4.1 runs per game. And that dip makes Mayer’s absence even tougher to swallow.

Even though Mayer’s overall numbers aren’t eye-popping, he slashed .228/.272/.402 with 4 HRs in 44 games. However, just before his injury, it seemed like he was starting to put it all together. And missing Mayer’s bat left an impact on the Red Sox. Mayer finished with just a 79 wRC+, but his defense was impressive. He put up three OAA and looks capable of sticking at any infield spot the Red Sox need, whether that’s second, third, or short.

Without Mayer, the real concern for Boston is their infield depth. They currently have just four true infielders on the active roster. One of those spots belongs to Nathaniel Lowe or Abraham Toro, while the others are Trevor Story, Romy Gonzalez, and Alex Bregman. And with Triston Casas also sidelined, it was still unclear about their infield.

And now, if Mayer can bring his bat back into a Red Sox lineup that tends to run hot and cold, it could be exactly the spark they need heading into October.

Positive updates are pouring in just at the correct time for the Red Sox

It couldn’t be a better time for the Red Sox to expect their performers back from the IL. The team is expecting a few more rejuvenating updates in their offense and defense.

The first big name back is Wilyer Abreu, who returned from the IL on Sunday night in the finale of the Red Sox’s three-game set against the Rays. He’d been out for over a month with a right calf strain. But after working out at Fenway on Friday and running drills with the team Saturday, he was confident he was ready to roll.

“I feel strong. I feel good. So I’m ready to go,” Abreu shared. And since coming back, he’s gone 2-for-11 with a run scored and four strikeouts!

Then there’s Dustin May. He’s been dealing with right elbow neuritis, but is set to throw a bullpen session on Friday. Notably, May brings valuable playoff experience, having appeared in nine postseason games, where he has posted a 3.86 ERA with 14 strikeouts against seven walks over 14 innings.

So, with the postseason right around the corner, the Red Sox are looking like they’ll be close to full strength just in time for October.