How Red Sox Rookie Marcelo Mayer Reacted To Getting Booed by Yankees Fans

Marcelo Mayer received a fitting introduction to one of baseball’s most heated rivalries.

The Boston Red Sox dropped Game 1 of the series, 9-6, to the New York Yankees on Friday night, but Mayer offered a silver lining by hitting his first career home run. During the fifth inning, the rookie infielder took Will Warren deep for a solo shot that ignited a comeback effort in the Bronx.

Naturally, Yankees fans didn’t appreciate the career milestone. Despite still wielding a 7-1 lead, they welcomed Mayer to the long-running feud by booing as he touched them all.

The reaction at Yankee Stadium didn’t particularly bother Mayer, who hardly even noticed the cold reception.

“It’s like music to your ears,” Mayer said, via MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “Honestly, I didn’t really hear it just because I’m so focused on the game. But that’s pretty cool.”

Mayer grew up in California, but the rivalry’s significance isn’t lost on the West Coast native. Before the game, the top prospect said he was “super happy” to face the Yankees for the first time.

“It’s gonna be awesome,” Mayer said in an on-field NESN interview. “As a kid, you dream of being in the big leagues. And then a step above that is being in a Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. I think it doesn’t get bigger than this as far as rivalries come, so I’m super excited.”

Weeks into his MLB call-up, Mayer is still finding his rhythm inside the batter’s box. The former first-round pick is batting 7-for-34 with two doubles, three walks, and 10 strikeouts.

Mayer didn’t get a chance for an encore after Friday’s home run. Alex Cora replaced the left-handed neophyte in his next plate appearance with Romy Gonzalez, who hit a two-run single off southpaw Brent Headrick in the seventh.

If Cora keeps the rookie in a platoon role, Mayer won’t receive another starting nod this series. The Yankees are deploying lefties Ryan Yarbrough and Carlos Rodon this weekend.