Not everyone can relate to what Marcelo Mayer is experiencing at the moment, making an MLB debut at 22 years old as one of the best prospects in all of baseball.
Walker Buehler can, though.
Buehler carried the weight of a first-round pick to go along with the highly regarded prospect label on his shoulders when he made his MLB debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers just over a month after his 23rd birthday in 2017.
Buehler had to show he belonged on a big-league diamond, which he did as he’s in his eighth season in the league. And now Mayer will have to do the same.
“I think for him pressure’s probably a good thing in terms of the personality,” Buehler said following Boston’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday. “He reminds me a lot of how I was when I was that age. That pressure stuff I think brings out the best in you if you’re kind of built the right way. So throw him into the fire and kind of see what happens.”
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The Red Sox didn’t give Mayer time to ease into life in the majors. He quickly made his way from Worcester to Boston on Saturday and was in the lineup for the Red Sox for the nightcap of a doubleheader. Mayer, who notched the first two hits of his MLB career Sunday, will make his third straight start Monday with the Red Sox opening a three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers.
All those starts for Mayer have come at third base with Alex Bregman out with a “severe” right quad strain. It’s a position Mayer is a little familiar with, but he came up through Boston’s farm system as a shortstop.
“He’s a talented player. Special, special kid. Really, really good brain,” Buehler said. “I think he’s going to get really comfortable here really quickly, and I think we’re all looking forward to that. The cost of it right now for our team, I don’t know if that’s how anyone would have kind of drawn it up.”
Mayer hasn’t let his personality shine through yet as he’s understandably still trying to get accustomed to big-league life. But Jarren Duran believes it will come out in due time.
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“He’s a funny kid. I love having him here. He brings energy,” Duran said. “He’s a little shy right now I can tell. He’s just nervous being up here and stuff. But can’t wait for him to come out of his shell again and start talking some smack with some of the guys.”
