BOSTON -- While the chaos of his Major League debut on Saturday was adrenaline-pumping for Red Sox phenom Marcelo Mayer, Sunday represented something else altogether.
“It was awesome waking up as a big leaguer,” said Mayer. “Just the whole day kind of getting prepared for the game with my family [here]. It was a special day.”
Mayer’s parents and two siblings, who live in Southern California, weren’t able to make it on Saturday given that the callup took place between games of a doubleheader once the Red Sox got bad news on the MRI taken on Alex Bregman’s right quad.
Sunday, they were seated in the second row of the stands at Fenway Park, right next to the visiting dugout.
It was the perfect vantage point for them to see Mayer’s first career hit, a line single to left in the bottom of the second inning.
And an even better one to see his second knock, a double to the gap in right-center that the pride of Chula Vista, Calif., hammered at an exit velocity of 105.1 mph and a bat speed of 77.5 mph that was the fourth best taken by anyone in the game.
Mayer will be much more relaxed on the team flight to Milwaukee now that he has his first two hits under his belt.
Fans have spent the last four years anticipating his arrival. Mayer got a big hand when his first hit found a patch of grass in left field.
“Just trying to get a pitch to hit. End up getting to two strikes,” said Mayer. “Tried to hit it to left field. It was a really cool moment.”
Orioles first baseman Emmanuel Rivera passed Mayer the baseball as he stood on first base. Mayer handed it to the batboy, who then tossed it into Red Sox equipment manager Tommy McLaughlin for safe keeping.
The baseball that Mayer doubled with was delivered directly to his father Enrique.
“My dad has an office with all my stuff, so it will probably go there,” Mayer said.
During an otherwise nondescript 5-1 loss for the Red Sox that capped a 5-5 homestand, Mayer provided some excitement.
“I was screaming like it was my first day, and I was yelling at him to go three on the double, you know, just little silly things like that,” said Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran. “But that's what makes baseball baseball. You’re losing 5-0, but to see a young guy like that get his first hit and then hit a double, it kind of puts the game in perspective, and you’ve got to enjoy it sometimes.”
Prior to the game, Mayer met up with his family for about 45 minutes in the lobby of a hotel right down the street from Fenway Park. He’ll be able to share his experiences with them in a more in-depth way the next few days, as the contingent will make the trip to Milwaukee.
While debuts are always a feel-good moment, there is business at hand for Mayer. He needs to help the Red Sox try to fill the void left by team leader Bregman, who will miss several weeks.
Boston (27-28) has underachieved thus far, and will try to find its footing without the steady voice and big bat of Bregman.
“I think we have a really good combination of guys in this clubhouse and I think we can really string some wins together,” said Mayer. “Obviously we haven't won the last two games, but I’m pretty confident in the team we have.”
The Red Sox are confident that Mayer can make a smooth adjustment to the highest level of baseball.
“He's a talented player and a special kid,” said Red Sox righty Walker Buehler. “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, but I think for him, pressure is probably a good thing in terms of the personality. He reminds me a lot of how I was when I was at that age, and that pressure stuff brings about 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.”