BOSTON -- Marcelo Mayer got the news Saturday between games of Triple-A Worcester’s home doubleheader against Durham. The news that every Minor Leaguer dreams about: He was being promoted to the Major Leagues.
Mayer, Boston's No. 2 prospect and No. 8 in MLB, was added to the Red Sox's roster for the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Orioles. His departure from Worcester, though, had a slight delay when he couldn’t find his car keys.
Or, make that … He still couldn’t find his car keys. They’ve been AWOL for about three weeks. So, while the WooSox hosted various teams and made road trips to Lehigh Valley, Buffalo and other ports of call, Mayer’s car has taken up residence in the Polar Park parking lot.
"I lost them about three weeks ago and never cared to look for them until I needed to,” Mayer said as he stood in his new home clubhouse for the first time.
So, instead of driving himself to Fenway Park for his Major League debut, he got a ride from a WooSox clubhouse attendant.
Factoring in that Game 1 of Boston's doubleheader against the Orioles, a 6-5 win, was delayed at the start by 26 minutes, went 10 innings and was just ending to coincide with his arrival, and considering the compressed time to clear out the Game 1 crowd before the Game 2 crowd entered Fenway Park -- not to mention Boston’s notorious narrow and congested streets -- it’s probably better that Mayer didn’t drive himself anyway.
"Well, there was a little bit of traffic,” he said. “You know how Boston is with traffic, especially during a game. So, there was a little bit of traffic.”
Yes, yes we do.
And if he ever finds his car keys, he will, too.
"Honestly, I was like this [head down] the whole time, just looking at my phone,” he said. “So I barely realized it. But yeah, the clubbie was making jokes to get a police escort to get everybody out of the way because he was getting more nervous than me.”
Polar Park is about an hour’s drive -- and a world away -- from Fenway Park. Mayer used the time in the car to chill out, return the many calls and texts he’d received congratulating him on his promotion ... and to think about what was ahead of him.
"It was surreal. The emotions were running pretty high,” he said. “It’s something me and my family have worked toward ever since I started playing the game.”
Mayer got the start at third, also saw some time at shortstop and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his Major League debut. The Red Sox hit the road Monday for a seven-day, six-game trip to Milwaukee and Atlanta, so Mayer isn’t likely to get back to Worcester any time soon.
Which is probably just fine with him.
"I’m super happy to be here,” he said. “And super blessed.”