Are we getting closer to a Roman Anthony call-up by Red Sox?
The Boston Red Sox took two of three from the first-place Yankees over the weekend, but all anyone is thinking about is top prospect Roman Anthony. More specifically, when is the Red Sox phenom going to get his call to the Major Leagues?
Anthony continued to turn heads over the weekend when he crushed a massive 497-foot grand slam for the Worcester Red Sox on Saturday. The 21-year-old has been tearing the cover off the ball in Triple A this season, and Red Sox fans are getting impatient wondering when he'll trade in his WooSox hat in for a Red Sox one.
While he's been the best player in the Boston system for a year, Anthony had to watch as other top prospects Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer got their call to the Majors. Last week, catcher Kyle Teel (once part of Boston's Big 3 before he was dealt to Chicago in the Garrett Crochet trade) made his MLB debut for the White Sox.
Anthony celebrated the big moments for his former teammates from afar, and keeps wondering when his turn will come. The sun will eventually rise on Roman Anthony's Major League career.
Could that sunrise come Monday?
Alex Cora mum on Roman Anthony call up
The Red Sox are home for the next six games, starting Monday with the first of three against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. After an off day Thursday, the Red Sox will welcome the Yankees to town for a three-game series. Either set would be a great time to get Anthony into the Major League lineup.
Boston manager Alex Cora was peppered with questions about Anthony in his pre-game interview ahead of Sunday night's 11-7 win in New York, and was specifically asked if there's a chance Anthony would be called up for Monday's series opener against the Rays.
Cora, however, wouldn't shed any light on when the future of the franchise could get his first action in "The Show."
"I can't answer that question," Cora responded. "My mind is with the 26 guys we have here."
Cora said the team is doing a lot of talking about when to call up Anthony, and he's been impressed with what the 2022 second-round pick has shown at the Triple-A level.
"Just watching not only the highlights and all that, but watching what he's doing offensively, it's been impressive," said Cora. "And we knew this about him. The way he controls the strike zone, how hard he hits the ball.
"He's actually doing an outstanding job. Let's be honest about that," added Cora. "It's just a matter of what we're going to do, how we're going to do it, or when we're going to do it, right? And I keep getting the questions, and that's my best answer."
Anthony has played in 58 games for Worcester this season and is slashing .288/.423/.491 with 10 home runs, nine doubles, and 29 RBI over 212 at-bats.
How can Red Sox fit Roman Anthony?
Anthony appears ready for the big leagues, but it seems the biggest roadblock for a promotion is the lack of an everyday role in Boston. The Red Sox outfield is set with Jarren Duran in left, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, and Wilyer Abreu in right.
Anthony has played all three outfield spots in Worcester this season, but the Red Sox probably don't want to move him around too much in his opening days of his professional career. A possible solution is to bench either shortstop Trevor Story or Campbell at second base -- both of whom have struggled mightily despite success over the weekend in New York -- and move Rafaela into the infield. Duran could then play center and clear a spot for Anthony in left.
That takes Rafaela's brilliant glove out of center, but Duran played 105 games in the spot last season and was a Gold Glove finalist. It would require a tough decision from the Boston brass on Story or Campbell, but it would get Anthony and his bat in the lineup.
While the buzz is humming around Anthony, Cora did push back a bit at the hype. He knows this kid is going to be great, but cautioned it takes time for prospects to get used to life in the bigs. The Red Sox have seen Campbell go through his growing pains, as has Mayer since he was called up following Alex Bregman's injury.
"I still believe he's not the final product, just like Marcelo and Campbell and Ceddanne and Wilyer," said Cora. "There's things that players need to do better, and they will. Right now, we saw [Campbell] here the first month of the season, and we were like, 'Wow, this is great.' And now it's like, 'Wow, we have to help him out, right?'
"So understanding that it's not an easy process and not as easy of a transition like people think it is. But at the same time, he's a good player," Cora said of Anthony. "We know that."
