The Red Sox haven’t ruled out Roman Anthony for the year, but a Grade 2 oblique strain could sideline him deep into October. The outfielder hurt himself coming out of the batter’s box, immediately realizing the injury felt worse than the back issues he’d dealt with earlier. Trainers quickly suspected trouble, and an MRI on Wednesday confirmed it. By morning, Anthony was sore, and the 4–6 week recovery window he was given—likely optimistic considering other cases—hit him hard.
“It sucks,” Anthony admitted. “All I want to do is play. I’ll be here every day, doing whatever I can and trusting the staff to help me get back.”
Anthony remains hopeful for a return this season. Manager Alex Cora urged the team to push forward, reminding them that resilience already carried them through injuries to Triston Casas, the Rafael Devers trade, and other setbacks on the way to an unlikely playoff spot. Still, losing another bat underscored their thin depth, especially during a series finale where the Guardians jumped to a 7-0 lead by pounding Boston’s openers Brennan Bernardino, Jordan Hicks, and Steven Matz.
Veteran Alex Bregman had already addressed the team, telling them not to press. Stick to the game plan, he said, and execution will take care of the rest. That message fell apart quickly on Wednesday, with defensive miscues from Connor Wong and Jarren Duran sealing an early hole.
Bregman later compared the situation to October baseball. “You don’t try to be the hero,” he said. “You focus on the next pitch, the game plan, the fundamentals. That’s how you win this time of year.”
Cora agreed that September urgency should help keep Boston afloat, though Wilyer Abreu’s calf injury adds to the challenge. Without a return date for him, the team promoted Nick Sogard instead of another outfielder, while Kristian Campbell and Kyle Harrison remain unavailable. Spot starter Cooper Criswell is also out with elbow trouble, leaving the Sox to patch things together. Cora expressed faith in Rob Refsnyder, Nate Eaton, and Masataka Yoshida to cover the outfield.
Anthony’s arrival from Triple-A had sparked Boston’s turnaround. After starting 32-35, the club went 46-27 since, powered in part by Anthony’s .292/.396/.463 line with eight homers in 71 games. He was just named AL Rookie of the Month for August. Teammates and Cora praised his maturity and defense, while Bregman has repeatedly called him one of the best hitters in the game.
Losing him showed immediately: after scoring 18 runs in their previous two games, Boston managed just one through seven innings Wednesday and drew boos for another shaky outing from Hicks.
Cora, though, kept Anthony focused on a target. “I told him to picture his first at-bat in the ALCS,” the manager said. “Set that goal in your mind—and hopefully it happens.”
