Extensions have been a theme of the last few seasons for the Boston Red Sox in the process of roster building, and Marcelo Mayer has been a somewhat notable exception.
Of the "Big Three" star prospects from last spring training, Mayer is the only man not to receive an extension from Boston. Kristian Campbell cashed in with an eight-year, $60 million deal last April, and Roman Anthony followed that up with an eight-year, $130 million deal signed in August.
Previous reports have indicated that Mayer and the Red Sox have not been in conversations about a long-term extension, and on Thursday, MassLive insider Chris Cotillo reported that the two sides still have not broached the subject.
"Why is it even worth mentioning?" Cotillo asked in a follow-up post on X. "(One), the narrative he was buried because he wouldn't take their 'offer' last year is out there/wrong, and (two), the Red Sox have been aggressive on long-term deals for very young guys."
The obvious difference between Mayer and the other youngsters who have signed extensions is health. He's never played 100-plus games in a season since he was drafted out of high school in 2021. He made it through just 44 games in his major league debut before succumbing to a season-ending wrist injury that required surgery.
It might well cost the Red Sox a lot of money on a future extension, or the ability to extend Mayer at all, if he goes out this season, plays 145 games, and instantly becomes a 4-5 WAR player. But those are the risks you have to take, because sometimes the deals you don't make wind up proving just as smart as the ones you do.