Red Sox bring back old friend on minor league deal after trading depth catcher
Ronaldo Hernández, who was with the organization from 2021 to 2023 and played 211 games for Triple-A Worcester, is re-joining the WooSox on a minor league contract, sources said. He should be active Friday when Worcester opens the second half of its season.
Hernández, 27, was originally acquired along with Nick Sogard in the February 2021 trade that sent Jeffrey Springs (and Chris Mazza) to the Rays. He then spent the next three years bouncing around the upper levels of the organization, hitting 17 homers for the WooSox in two straight years (2022 and 2023). He was called up to the big leagues twice as an emergency option but never debuted. Hernández was outrighted off the 40-man roster in December 2022 and spent last year with the Diamondbacks organization.
Hernández began this year with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate and hit .221 with two homers, 13 RBIs and a .638 OPS in 25 games. He was released in early July, then spent two games with the Pericos de Puebla in Mexico before getting an offer to re-join the WooSox.
Behind Carlos Narváez and Connor Wong at the big league level, the Red Sox have Hernández, Seby Zavala and Nathan Hickey as depth options at Triple-A. Zavala leads the WooSox in innings behind the plate this year (279.2) and is followed by two departed teammates in Sabol (traded) and Yasmani Grandal (retired).
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CBS News
28 minutes ago
- CBS News
Red Sox rookie Marcelo Mayer to undergo season-ending wrist surgery
Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer's rookie season is over, as the team announced Sunday that he'll have season-ending surgery on his right wrist. The 22-year-old Mayer injured the wrist in late July, got an injection to try and come back, but decided to have surgery. Mayer said he has a tear that hadn't improved with the anti-inflammatory injection. "I knew definitely that it was going to be on the table," he said, sitting in the Red Sox dugout at Fenway Park before they faced Miami in the series finale. "As an athlete and somebody that loves this game so much, all I want to do is play and be out there every single day, especially when you're in the big leagues and the playoffs are so important," he said. "The way that my wrist is right now, there's just no way to come back and play. It made the decision pretty easy to have the surgery." Drafted fourth overall in 2021, Mayer was called up in late May. A natural shortstop, he played mostly third base, batting .228 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 44 games. "The shot wasn't working. It's a three-month recovery, He should be fine if everything goes well for spring training," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "He's a big part of the future of this organization, just get him right, get him ready and see what happens in the future." Cora said he knew things weren't going well after Mayer played catch on Thursday's day off. "He didn't sound too positive about it. 'My swing is not right,''' Cora said Mayer told him. Mayer also knew that surgery was the best option. "Yeah, gave it my all. Obviously with options given, I could have had surgery when I first injured it or get the shot," he said. "I tried everything I could with the slight chance to come back and play." He also missed the final two months in the minors last season with a shoulder injury and didn't play after July 31.
New York Times
28 minutes ago
- New York Times
Red Sox rookie Marcelo Mayer to undergo season-ending wrist surgery
BOSTON – Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer will have right wrist surgery in the coming days, ending his rookie season. Mayer injured his wrist on a swing on July 24 and had an anti-inflammatory shot in an attempt to return to game action. But after two weeks of rehab, the shot proved ineffective and manager Alex Cora announced on Sunday that Mayer will have surgery within the next week or so. Advertisement 'I gave it my all,' Mayer said. 'Obviously with my options given, I could've had surgery when I first injured it or get the shot and try to do everything I can for the slight chance to come back and play. I'm really sad about what's going on and I want to play. I want to help the team win, but that's just the hand I'm dealt right now.' The 22-year-old debuted on May 24, called up when Alex Bregman landed on the injured list. In 44 games, he hit .228 with a .674 OPS, four homers, eight doubles and a triple. Mayer started 28 games at third while Bregman was out, then shifted to second base upon Bregman's return, starting seven games there. Mayer had played catch and taken dry swings while the team was on the road last week, but experienced pain with both activities. 'The shot really didn't do much,' he said. 'I had a few good days, and then we kind of hit a wall. But we kept trying to work at it and try to get it stronger, but nothing really helped.' In 2022, Mayer had a cortisone shot for a tear in the triangular fibrocartilage complex of his right wrist. 'Usually when you get a cortisone shot, the injury comes back later on,' Mayer said. 'I knew eventually I was going to need to do something with my wrist.' While the injury is similar to 2022, Mayer explained he tore the tendon more this time than he had in 2022, so recovery will be more extensive. Nevertheless, he is expected to return to full baseball activities within three months and be ready by spring training. Mayer plans to remain in Boston through the end of the season but does not know where he will rehab this winter. 'It sucks as an athlete and somebody who loves this game so much, all we want to do is play,' he said. 'I want to be out there every single day. Especially in the big leagues when the playoffs are so important. But I just kind of have to keep going after it, keep working hard and try to come back stronger.' Advertisement In Mayer's absence, the Red Sox have shifted Ceddanne Rafaela to second base from center field, where he'd posted an American League-leading 16 defensive runs saved. Jarren Duran, in turn, has moved from left to center with Roman Anthony manning left. It's an alignment the Red Sox figure to use frequently the rest of the season with Romy Gonzalez mixing in at second base as well when the Red Sox face left-handers. Cora did not feel the official loss of Mayer for the season would impact the team's depth. 'I think we're good,' Cora said. 'Obviously he's a good player, a good defender. Was still learning at the big-league level, but we've some capable guys in the minor leagues in case something happens here.' Injuries have caused Mayer to miss time in every season since he was drafted in the first round in 2021. He played 91 games in 2022, dealing with the wrist injury. The following year, he played in 78 games, managing a shoulder injury. In 2024, he played 77, missing the end of the year with a back injury. Cora didn't express concern about the injuries preventing Mayer from playing a full season early in his career. 'Not this one, it was on a swing, so that's part of it,' Cora said. 'He's gotten stronger. That's something that he's done the last few weeks when he's not playing, he's taken care of his back and his core, too. There's still some growing there physically. And the stronger he gets, the better he's going to be. So I'm not concerned.' Though Mayer has fewer than 150 at-bats, his rookie eligibility status will not carry over to 2026 because he's been on the active roster longer than 45 days. Cora offered an assessment of Mayer's rookie season. 'Incomplete, a learning experience,' Cora said. 'You saw flashes of him offensively. Defensively, he's a stud and baserunning-wise, he's great. Offensively, there's some learning to do there, but I guess probably with the experience, he was going to get better. I'm happy that he was part of this, he's a big part of the future of the organization. So just get him right, get him ready and see what happens in the future.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Washington Post
28 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer to have season-ending right wrist surgery
BOSTON — Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer said Sunday that he'll have season-ending surgery on his right wrist. The 22-year-old Mayer injured the wrist in late July, got an injection to try and come back, but decided to have surgery. He said he has a tear that hadn't improved with the anti-inflammatory injection. 'I knew definitely that it was going to be on the table,' he said, sitting in the Red Sox dugout at Fenway Park before they faced Miami in the series finale. 'As an athlete and somebody that loves this game so much, all I want to do is play and be out there every single day, especially when you're in the big leagues and the playoffs are so important,' he said. 'The way that my wrist is right now, there's just no way to come back and play. It made the decision pretty easy to have the surgery.' Drafted fourth overall in 2021, Mayer was called up in late May. A natural shortstop, he played mostly third base, batting .228 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 44 games. 'The shot wasn't working. It's a three-month recovery, He should be fine if everything goes well for spring training,' Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. 'He's a big part of the future of this organization, just get him right, get him ready and see what happens in the future.' Cora said he knew things weren't going well after Mayer played catch on Thursday's day off. 'He didn't sound too positive about it. 'My swing is not right,''' Cora said Mayer told him. Mayer also knew that surgery was the best option. 'Yeah, gave it my all. Obviously with options given, I could have had surgery when I first injured it or get the shot,' he said. 'I tried everything I could with the slight chance to come back and play.' He also missed the final two months in the minors last season with a shoulder injury and didn't play after July 31. ___ AP MLB:
