BOSTON — The moment Red Sox fans have been eagerly anticipating has finally arrived. The Boston Red Sox are promoting their top prospect, Roman Anthony, prior to the highly anticipated series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, according to multiple sources confirmed to MassLive. In a surprising turn of events, Anthony was seen loading a car instead of boarding the team bus for the WooSox’ road trip to Allentown, Pennsylvania, hinting at his impending promotion.
As he drove to Boston, Anthony himself confirmed the news of his MLB promotion while departing from Polar Park. He will don the number 48 jersey, taking over the roster spot of Wilyer Abreu, who is heading to the 10-day injured list due to an oblique strain sustained over the weekend in New York. To accommodate Anthony on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated Triple-A first baseman/outfielder Ryan Noda for assignment.
Initially, the Red Sox did not anticipate promoting Anthony in time for Monday’s game. However, as the day unfolded and Abreu reported feeling worse, the team quickly reached out to Worcester to inform Anthony of his promotion. The original lineup had Ceddanne Rafaela shifting to right field and Kristian Campbell taking over center field. The updated lineup now features Anthony in right field, showcasing the team's adaptability.
Manager Alex Cora emphasized the urgency behind this decision, stating, “This happened very fast. This was about Willy... We didn’t want to play short. You saw the alignment today; it was Campbell in center and Rafaela in right field. To do that over three or five days, it’s hard. This is about protecting Willy and having a complete roster. It just so happens Roman was the guy. He’s gonna contribute.”
At just 21 years old, Anthony is regarded as the consensus No. 1 prospect in all of baseball. The Florida native has experienced a meteoric rise since the Red Sox signed him for a hefty $2.5 million as a second-round compensation pick in 2022. In his time with the WooSox this season, Anthony has showcased his talent with a batting average of .288, hitting 10 home runs, driving in 29 RBIs, and boasting an impressive .913 OPS over 58 games. His performance has intensified calls for his promotion, especially during a time when the big league club is facing offensive struggles.
Roman Anthony is the final member of Boston’s “Big Three” prospect trio to make it to the majors. He will now share the field with both Campbell, who has been with the team throughout the season, and Marcelo Mayer, who made his big league debut on May 24. Upon learning of Anthony’s promotion, Mayer expressed his excitement, stating, “It has been a long time coming. It’s kind of crazy today’s the day we’re all going to share the field together in the big leagues.”
With Anthony’s promotion, he becomes the youngest player to wear a Red Sox uniform in the majors since Rafael Devers debuted at age 20 in 2017. As the team evaluates their outfield dynamics, it remains to be seen where Anthony will fit in on a daily basis, especially with Jarren Duran (left field), Rafaela (center), and Abreu (right field) currently holding starting positions. The prevailing thought is that Anthony may eventually transition to left field full-time, allowing Duran to shift to center and Rafaela to embrace a super-utility role.
For now, Anthony will start in right field. Cora explained, “Today, it made sense to play him in right field. Jarren has done an amazing job in left field with the wall. Ceddanne is the top defender in center field. We’ll make adjustments on the fly but we’ll play him.” As the Red Sox gear up for this crucial series against the Rays, the promotion of Roman Anthony signals a pivotal moment for both the player and the organization.
