There’s more bad news for the Boston Red Sox (67–63) about their top prospect. The Red Sox declared today that top prospect Marcelo Mayer’s season is officially finished due to a lumbar strain, after he missed nearly a month due to an injury.

According to @alexspeier, it's likely Marcelo Mayer's season is done due to a lumbar strain.

"When his efforts to return to the field plateaued, further medical evaluation led to the diagnosis of a lumbar strain."

He's rehabbing in Fort Myers and expected to have a normal… pic.twitter.com/G1tF64r6XK

— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) August 26, 2024

21-year-old Mayer hasn’t taken part in a game since July 30. This season, in 300 at-bats over 77 games, he batted.307/.370/.480 while playing for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs. He also had 36 extra-base hits, 38 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. In his brief professional career, Mayer has not been spared injuries. Mayer was only able to participate in 91 games in 2022 and 78 games in 2023. He will now only be able to play 77 games in 2024. Regarding the team’s best prospect, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said the following:

“His season went well… That has a great deal of potential. Of course, there are a ton of other issues that need attention. To be honest, the injuries are certainly troubling from my end; we simply need to make sure he stays well.” Along with the other two prospects that make up their top three, the Red Sox promoted Mayer to Triple-A on August 11th. However, Mayer has not yet played for the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox and won’t until 2025.

The Red Sox selected Mayer fourth overall in the 2021 MLB Draft. The middle infielder has participated in 272 games at four different MiLB levels, batting a combined.274/.362/.465 with 1,055 at-bats, 123 extra-base hits, 162 RBI, and 46 stolen bases.

Crowds jeer the Red Sox (four mistakes), who lose at Fenway again, dropping to 29-37.

Boston — Here at Fenway Park, a sizable crowd of Blue Jays supporters often and loudly shouted during the fifth inning.

“Let’s go Blue Jays,” the team exclaimed in the ninth inning as Boston was down to its last out.

Meanwhile, the Red Sox supporters in attendance jeered their side.

The Red Sox were defeated 7-3 by Toronto on Monday after Brad Keller gave up a five-spot in the top of the fifth inning.

The doubleheader was won by the Blue Jays in both games. Game 1, a postponed match from June 26 that began earlier on Monday, saw Boston lose 4-1.

Four mistakes were made by the Red Sox, two of which occurred in the top of the ninth inning and gave Toronto two more runs after Jarren Duran’s 422-foot home run had put the score 5-3.

During this homestand, Boston has dropped their first five games. The Diamondbacks’ three-game series sweep here over the weekend set the whole thing off.

The Red Sox fell to 14-22 in the second half and 29-37 at home. Overall, they are 67-64.

Prior to the opening game, Triple-A Worcester’s Keller was added to the 40-man roster. In order to free up Keller’s roster spot, Boston designated lefty Joely Rodriguez for assignment.

After Zack Kelly in Game 1, Keller was supposed to be the main reliever.

Kelly pitched three hitless and scoreless innings. Pitching a scoreless fourth, Justin Slaten was activated from the 15-day IL (elbow inflammation) in between games.

But in the fifth, Keller was destroyed by the Blue Jays. George Springer was hit by a three-run home run, two singles, two doubles, and a walk off the right-hander.

After arguing balls and strikes in the third inning, Wilyer Abreu was dismissed.

José Berríos, the Blue Jays starter, pitched 7 ⅔ scoreless innings. The Red Sox led 1-0 after he gave up an RBI single to Triston Casas in the third game. He didn’t allow another run until the eighth inning.

With a home run in the eighth inning (108.2), Duran gave the Red Sox hope. A 93 mph fastball from Berríos found its way to Duran, who drove it into the center field bleachers.

However, some poor Boston defense allowed the Blue Jays to score two more insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning.