The Red Sox placed Marcelo Mayer on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist sprain Friday (retroactive to July 24), hours before the series opener with the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

The severity of the injury is unclear, but there are no broken bone or hamate issues, Mayer explained in the clubhouse Friday.

“It’s brutal,” the downcast rookie said. “Obviously this is not a spot I want to be in, I want to be out there playing every day, trying to help the team win. As an athlete, all we want to do is play and go out there and just do what we do best, so it’s super frustrating.”

The rookie infielder exited Wednesday’s game abruptly with what was later described as wrist pain. On Thursday, a local aesthetics business called KDR Medspa + Wellness posted a photo to Instagram of Mayer and Roman Anthony, noting in the caption that the two Red Sox rookies came in for “IV therapy to support hydration, energy, and muscle recovery.” The photo showed Mayer’s right wrist in a brace.

The 22-year-old infielder made his big-league debut May 24 when the Red Sox placed All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman on the injured list with a quad strain. When Bregman returned two weeks ago, the Red Sox opted to keep Mayer up and option fellow infielder David Hamilton, who was recalled Friday to take the roster spot.

With Trevor Story in full command of shortstop, Mayer’s natural position, the rookie has moved around the diamond, primarily manning third (39 games, 28 starts), with just two appearances at short. Since Bregman came back, Mayer has spent more time at second base.

In 44 games, he’s hit .228 with a .674 OPS, 29 hits (13 for extra bases), 20 runs, 10 RBI, eight walks and 41 strikeouts.