‘I couldn’t be more excited’: New acquisition Mayer thrilled to join SF Giants, reunite with Devers

SAN FRANCISCO — Despite growing up in San Diego, Marcelo Mayer loved watching the Giants. Mayer tried to watch them in person when they visited Petco Park, and he grew especially fond of Brandon Crawford. Like Crawford, Mayer was also a long-haired shortstop from California who hit from the left side.

So, before Saturday’s Wall of Fame festivities, Meyer had someone he had to meet.

“I tried not to fanboy and be a pro about it,” Mayer said. “He’s a great guy, and it was good to meet him.”

Mayer’s meeting with Crawford was made possible by one of the more stunning deals of the trade deadline. An hour before last Monday’s deadline, the Giants swung their fifth and final trade, acquiring Mayer from the Boston Red Sox for left-handed reliever Erik Miller and minor-league outfielder Carlos Gutierrez.

It was barely a year ago that Marcelo Mayer was considered a core piece of the Red Sox’s future. Mayer, Roman Anthony and Kristian Campbell were dubbed Boston’s new Big Three, the trio that would usher in the post-Rafael Devers era. Now, he’s entering a new chapter in San Francisco.

“I made a lot of great relationships with people (in Boston). I love a lot of people in that clubhouse, but super excited for the new opportunity,” Mayer said.

Mayer, 23, shouldn’t have to wait too long to make his Giants debut. He’s currently recovering from a bone stress reaction to the left ulna (forearm) that’s kept him out since June, but he’s spent the last couple of days in San Francisco going through baseball activities. That includes drills with infield coach Ron Washington, who wasted no time getting Mayer up to speed. Mayer will fly to the Giants’ complex in Phoenix tonight, spend several days there, then join Triple-A Sacramento for rehab games.

Assuming all goes well, Mayer could join the Giants for their two-city road trip next week. Coincidentally, that trip includes a three-game series at Fenway Park, which would provide Mayer an opportunity to return to Boston before he’s even fully settled into San Francisco.

“Hopefully, I’m feeling good enough to make that trip,” Mayer said. “I have a lot of love for a lot of people over there in that clubhouse, so it’ll be good to see those guys. It’ll be a fun experience wearing a different jersey over there.”

The fourth overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft, Mayer had long been considered one of baseball’s top prospects before making his major-league debut last year. Over the last year, though, Mayer’s top-prospect luster started to wear off due to underperformance and injuries.

Mayer hasn’t found his stride in the majors to this point, hitting .223 with seven home runs and a .625 OPS over 114 games. He struggled to hit breaking stuff in the upper levels of the minors, and those issues continued in the majors. Along with this year’s bone stress reaction, Mayer sustained a right wrist sprain last July that ultimately ended his season. During his time in the minors, Mayer dealt with hip, back, shoulder and wrist ailments.

Still, there’s a sentiment that the Red Sox gave up quickly on a middle infielder with five-and-a-half years of team control remaining, which is inherently more valuable than a reliever with three-and-a-half years of control.

“This game’s a business, and teams are going to do whatever they can to win,” Mayer said. “You can’t really be surprised by any move. Our job is to go out there and play hard and do whatever we can to help the team win, whichever team that is. Now, I’m a Giant, and I couldn’t be more excited for the next chapter.”

“I feel like being a Cali kid and some other things, there seems to be a good match for him here,” said manager Tony Vitello. “To this point, it just hadn’t clicked over there between the two. … In my experience, you see a guy leave a program and absolutely takes off in another one because it’s a good match.”

Mayer almost exclusively played shortstop in the minors, but has seen more time at second base (53 games) and third base (39 games) than shortstop (26 games) in the majors. With Luis Arraez traded and Matt Chapman and Casey Schmitt injured, there should be plenty of opportunities for Mayer to see time at both second and third base.

“Wherever they want me to play is where I’m going to play,” Mayer said. “Just got to go out there, get reps, get comfortable, go out there and play hard.”

Mayer will have the luxury of joining an organization featuring several familiar faces. He and Casey Schmitt attended the same high school (Eastlake High in Chula Vista), though Mayer was in ninth grade when Schmitt was a senior. There’s also Devers, who Mayer played alongside for several weeks before the Giants acquired him in a trade on Father’s Day 2025.

“Rafi’s a great teammate,” Mayer said. “Everyone over there loved him. We all loved him in the clubhouse, and the people love him here, too. I got pretty close with him in spring training. I was still a minor leaguer at the time, but he welcomed me with open arms. He was there to help me along the way, get comfortable with my first big league camp. … He’s a great person to be around and a great teammate. I’m happy to be with him again.”