Red Sox camp: Mayer must earn roster spot, red sox weigh Durbin recovery

At spring camp in Fort Myers, Alex Cora opened the infield competition by saying Marcelo Mayer must earn an Opening Day roster spot, while Caleb Durbin, newly acquired in a trade, says he is fully cleared after offseason elbow surgery. The comments sharpen an early decision the club must make this spring about two players both vying for regular infield roles.

Cora: Mayer must earn it

Manager Alex Cora made clear that Mayer will not be handed a job for the start of the season: Mayer needs to show improvement at the plate from his time in the majors last year. Cora said Mayer must be better offensively than he was in the big leagues the previous season.

That demand follows Mayer's 44-game stint in the majors, where he had 136 plate appearances, hit. 228 with a. 674 OPS and an 85 OPS+. The manager’s stance frames spring camp as a proving ground: offensive progress this month will be central to Mayer’s case for an Opening Day roster spot.

Red Sox infield competition heats up

With first base and shortstop roles described as settled, the team’s decisions at second and third base are the key open questions. The early part of camp is being used specifically to sort where Mayer and Durbin fit positionally. The club has been running both players through infield drills to evaluate who projects where for the regular season.

The roster calculus is straightforward in its mechanics: if Mayer shows the offensive growth Cora wants, he can make the major-league roster; if not, the team may consider giving him more at-bats at Triple-A to build confidence and refine his approach. Performance this spring and comparative showings by other infielders will shape the final choice.

red sox positioning for Durbin

Durbin, who arrived trade from Milwaukee last week, reported that an offseason arthroscopic procedure resolved a nagging elbow issue. He said the pain had been traced to a small bone spur and that surgery at the end of October allowed him to rehab during the offseason rest after a heavy workload that included 136 regular-season games and nine playoff games.

He has had no issues through the first week of camp and described his elbow as feeling "better than it did last year by a good bit. " The club has used early drills to stretch his arm with throws at third base, then planned a move to second for a later session; the manager indicated Durbin would be at second on Thursday. Durbin’s background includes substantial time at second base in the minors—153 of 294 minor-league games—so the transition back to second is viewed as manageable.

What to watch this spring

Key observable indicators this camp will be Mayer’s offensive metrics in live at-bats and comparative performance versus other infield contenders, and Durbin’s continued arm health and defensive reps at second and third. If Mayer improves his offensive profile in camp, the path to an Opening Day roster spot becomes clearer. Conversely, if his offensive numbers remain at or below last season’s levels and other infielders out-perform him, the team may begin the season with him in the minors to get more consistent playing time.

For Durbin, the indicators are medical and positional: clear throwing sessions, soft-tissue maintenance the player, and comfort in routine plays at second base. Those observable elements will guide how the club balances infield assignments and roster spots during final cut decisions.

Key takeaways

• Mayer must show offensive improvement this spring to secure an Opening Day spot.
• Durbin is medically cleared after elbow surgery and is being evaluated at second and third.