On Monday, the Boston Red Sox finally made the move everyone had been asking for since April. They promoted baseball's top prospect, Roman Anthony, to the major leagues.
Everyone is excited about the move. He has dazzled in Triple-A in every aspect. The 21-year-old has made diving plays, gets on base at a ridiculous clip, and hits eye-popping home runs. The future is bright, and it starts now.
However, there is a downside to this. Anthony was promoted, while right fielder Wilyer Abreu was placed on the 10-day injured list with an oblique strain. If it's a long IL stint, we don't have to worry about logistics for a while. But if Abreu will be back soon, Boston is in a time crunch to figure things out.
Anthony is starting his first game in right field, a position he hasn't played since May 2. He's really only played left field since that time, with a few games in center field sprinkled in. Anthony is athletic enough to make it work, but it feels like they had a clear plan for him as the left fielder. With that in mind, moves need to be made.
2 moves the Red Sox must make to accommodate Roman Anthony in the long haul
Let's get the big point out of the way early — someone needs to be traded. It probably won't be Ceddanne Rafaela. Some people get frustrated with his offense, but he has shown he can get hot and give you elite production at the bottom of the order. He's also the best defensive outfielder in baseball, and he's signed to an eight-year contract that would be exceedingly difficult to move with his offensive track record.
Abreu has shown improvements at the plate. However, he struggles against left-handed pitching and goes through incredibly icy streaks at the plate.
Jarren Duran likely has the highest trade value. He still has a few years of control, and even though he's not producing at the level of 2024, there's still a lot to love in his play style. As much as some people don't want to hear it, Duran is probably the way to go since the Red Sox could get a good immediate return for him.
Another good starting pitcher would go a long way in helping this team compete right now. Losing Duran would hurt, but the offense isn't the issue, and there's a massive logjam in the outfield. That also allows Anthony to slide back into left field without an issue.
Rob Refsnyder is another solid trade candidate as the deadline approaches. His contract expires at the end of the 2025 season, and the Red Sox would surely like to secure a return on an expiring deal. After Abreu's return, trading Refsnyder could open a permanent 40-man roster spot for Anthony
Next is patience. Alex Bregman's timeline for return to action is still unknown, and Boston needs to stay above water while he's out. Getting production from Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and Carlos Narváez is going to be huge.
That being said, the Sox can't ask the rookies to save your season. They especially can't ask the guy who just turned the legal drinking age to save the season. The team needs to step up around the young players and not expect the rookies to bail them out. At the same time, the coaches shouldn't be putting them in spots where they'll often have to be a hero.
Meanwhile, the fans need to relax. It's exciting to see Anthony in the big leagues and it's perfectly okay to fire off some wild tweets. But don't flip out if Anthony struggles. Don't call for a demotion or quit on him if he isn't a .300 hitter immediately. Anthony was a relative unknown in Single-A just two years ago. He's going to have some growing pains.
There will be incredible moments but also some bumps in the road. Everyone from fans to teammates to coaches to the front office need to temper expectations. Let him be a kid enjoying the game and learning as he goes.
Anthony is not the savior of the 2025 season, and he shouldn't be. Make him a reason to go to the ballpark and have fun. Enjoy this season. Even if things don't go perfectly, the Red Sox have a clear plan for the future in place in the major leagues.
