Many Boston Red Sox fans were surprised to hear Marcelo Mayer's name come up in trade conversations over the offseason, mostly for players like Ketel Marte. Half a year later, the Red Sox pulled the trigger on a trade for a very different kind of player. A year or two ago, it was unfathomable to believe that the Red Sox would trade Mayer, — especially for a reliever — but Craig Breslow has gone big at this trade deadline. The Red Sox made the most of Mayer's remaining value after the disappointment of his 2026 showing. It's a shame that Mayer's tenure with the Red Sox ended in this way, but that's just the way with prospects — some don't pan out.