After losing five of their last seven games, the Boston Red Sox will return home for a weekend series against the Miami Marlins as they look to get back on track. This will be the only time both teams go head-to-head this season.

Heading into Friday’s game, both teams are in completely different positions. While Boston is holding onto the second AL Wild Card and still aiming to take the AL East crown away from the Toronto Blue Jays, the Marlins are six games back of an NL Wild Card spot.

Though the Red Sox have been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past couple of months, they have been struggling in recent games. However, things may be looking up as manager Alex Cora provided a big update on infielder Marcelo Mayer, saying he is now “taking dry swings.”

“Alex Cora says Marcelo Mayer has begun taking dry swings but it’s still unclear whether or not he’ll be able to return this season,” Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald wrote on X.

Mayer has not appeared in a game for Boston since July 23 due to a wrist sprain. With him on the shelf, the Red Sox have relied on players like Alex Bregman, Romy Gonzalez, and even outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela to make up for his absence in the infield.

Marcelo Mayer Has a Bright Future in Boston

The California native has only appeared in 44 games for the Red Sox since getting called up in May, but it is already becoming clear that he has a lot of promise and can be a long-term contributor for the team.

Mayer has a lot of potential, especially considering he is just 22 years old. While he still leaves a lot to be desired, particularly when batting against lefties, he has shown flashes throughout his time in the majors so far. Furthermore, he was beginning to find his footing before suffering his injury.

As Boston looks to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2021, getting Mayer back would provide a huge boost for them. However, it is also best for the team to play it cautiously, which it seems they are doing.

The Red Sox are built to be legitimate contenders for the foreseeable future. This is especially true given Roman Anthony’s fantastic rookie season. While the team will want Mayer to return as soon as possible, he is even more important to their future, which looks very bright at the moment.