Roman Anthony looks ready to return to the Boston Red Sox based on his rehab assignment. After slashing .273/.357/.636/.993 with a home run and double in four games with Double-A Portland, he's been even better in three games with Triple-A Worcester, posting a 1.052 OPS with a homer, a double and four RBI in three games. And yet, despite fans clamoring for it, he didn't join the Red Sox in the Bronx on Friday night for the start of a pivotal four-game series against the New York Yankees.
Moreover, Anthony (and, to a lesser degree, Trevor Story) aren't going to join Boston on Saturday for either game of a doubleheader either. The former No. 1 prospect in baseball is slated for Worcester's lineup again. But after a demoralizing 1-0 loss on Friday to the Yankees, it's quickly feeling like the Red Sox are making a mistake not bringing Anthony into the fray.
Roman Anthony is the spark the Red Sox offense needs right now
Obviously, the Red Sox have found their footing without Anthony in the lineup. Furthermore, many of the 22-year-old's detractors will point to the fact that he was pedestrian at best to begin the season before landing on the IL with a finger/hand injury on May 7. At the same time, how Boston came into the Yankees series suggested that they might, in fact, need a spark for a game that could very well determine home-field advantage in the AL Wild Card series.
Instead, Anthony had the day off and worked out in Worcester. That was coupled with Boston getting a gem from Patrick Sandoval, who allowed only one run in 5.1 innings of work, but then leaving 10 men on base and going 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position as they got shut out. Only Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela registered hits among the nine players who started the game.
While Boston has gotten huge contributions from the likes of Nick Sogard and Mickey Gasper, among many others, this season and specifically in their hot streak that started with sweeping the Yankees in late June, the fact shouldn't be forgotten that these are role players. They stepped up when called upon, but the Red Sox also can't make the mistake of relying too heavily on them. And it feels as if not calling up Anthony to help the cause is doing just that.
Upon his return, the expectation is that Anthony will resume as Boston's leadoff hitter. We've seen Sogard, Anthony Siegler and even Gasper in that spot, but it's largely been manager Chad Tracy riding the hot hand.
Those hot hands better serve the Red Sox offense down in the lineup, though. If they're giving .730-.760 OPS contributions in the 7-9 holes of the lineup with Anthony being followed by Rafaela, Abreu, Willson Contreras and even Adley Rutschman, that sets up this team to have more advantageous offensive situations and lineup protection.
And more importantly, outside of some arbitrary desire to have him return to the lineup at Fenway Park, there's no reason for the Red Sox not to recall Anthony back to the big-league club when this series against the Yankees holds so much weight.
The Yankees series is exactly when the Red Sox should be pulling aggressive strings
The spark that Anthony returning to the Red Sox can't be understated, but especially in this series. Yes, there's the rivalry. But it's more important to consider that Boston entered the series in New York just two games behind the Yankees in the standings and with a 5-4 advantage in the season series. Put simply, that means that the potential top wild card season and the playoff home game, as well as the season tiebreaker, are hanging in the balance.
Why would the Red Sox exercise caution in this moment? By all accounts, unless there is something not being reported, Anthony has progressed through his rehab without any hiccups. The results have been there, but there have also not been any reports of any lingering issues from the finger/hand injury when the burgeoning star has been playing in the minors.
It's understandable to want to be cautious with Anthony given how tumultuous it's been to even get him to this point. But the Red Sox have found a way to make his return truly meaningful with the playoff position they've put themselves in. Now, it feels like they're not taking advantage of what his return could mean.
Maybe we see Roman Anthony on Sunday. Maybe it's on Monday at Fenway. But it should've been on Friday in the Bronx. It then should've been Saturday if Friday wasn't realistic. No waiting for roster spots to open up on Sept. 1 or any other reason is enough justification to leave Anthony in Worcester right now.
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