SEATTLE – The Red Sox had to mix around their lineup a couple times ahead of their series opener against the Mariners on Friday, with both Marcelo Mayer and Isiah Kiner-Falefa dealing with respective issues.
In Boston’s first posted lineup of the day, Mayer was out -- missing his second straight game with an illness. But 30 minutes before first pitch, Mayer was back, playing shortstop, while Kiner-Falefa was dropped due to left forearm inflammation.
Mayer ended up going 2-for-4 with three RBIs in Boston’s 6-2 win, recording his first two-hit performance since May 29.
After the game, Kiner-Falefa said that he’s been dealing with pain and inflammation in his arm for the past two weeks or so, but that it got worse during the Red Sox’s most recent homestand, leading him to skip batting practice every game to minimize swings.
“It definitely hurt the past week a lot, but I liked how I swung the bat so I wanted to stay in there,” he said.
Then, after a six-hour flight to the west coast, he woke up to significantly worse swelling, which led to the decision to rest. He said he’ll undergo an MRI on Saturday, but hopes to be back to playing as soon as possible.
“It felt the same today, it was just really fat,” he said. “I think that scared everybody a little bit. But I still feel like I can go, cut down on my swings and be a gamer.”
Mayer saw a doctor in Boston on Thursday, then flew west Friday morning, separate from the rest of the team. Interim manager Chad Tracy said that between medication and the extra day, Mayer was significantly improved from how he'd been feeling Thursday.
“He was a little sick yesterday,” Tracy said. “He’s doing a lot better today, but we felt with where he was at, to just give him one more day and let him recover.”
Since Trevor Story hit the injured list with a sports hernia May 14, Mayer has made 15 starts at short -- reverting back to his natural position -- with Kiner-Falefa making nine. Prior to that, Mayer had exclusively played second base this season after making his first Opening Day roster.
Kiner-Falefa, who came to the Red Sox on a one-year, $6 million deal in February, has also made 21 starts at second base and five at third. Through 47 games, the veteran infielder has slashed .277/.344/.361 with a .705 OPS, which is on pace to be the highest in his nine-year career.
Sixty-five games into his sophomore season, Mayer is hitting .222 with a .601 OPS, eight doubles, three home runs and 21 RBIs.
The Red Sox currently have three infielders on the IL -- between Story, Nick Sogard and Romy Gonzalez -- not including first baseman Triston Casas, who has been out since last May.