Roman Anthony was preparing for a bus trip from Worcester to Allentown, Pennsylvania, for his next Triple-A game when his manager, Chad Tracy, told the WooSox players that their departure was delayed. Someone might need to head to Boston instead. At the time, Anthony didn’t think much of it—until Tracy pulled him aside and said, “You’re going to the big leagues.”
Anthony made his MLB debut on Monday night at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 10–8 in 11 innings. He played right field, batted fifth, and received a loud ovation from the crowd of over 31,000 fans. His first at-bat ended with a pop-out, but the support from fans was strong as he returned to the dugout.
In his second plate appearance, Anthony hit a 111 mph liner up the middle that ricocheted off pitcher Shane Baz. The ball deflected to third base, and he was thrown out, potentially costing him his first major league hit. He later walked, struck out looking, and grounded out for an RBI in the ninth inning. Manager Alex Cora chose to pinch-hit for him in the 11th.
“It was nice to finally take the field and forget about all the outside noise,” Anthony said after the game. “Unfortunate we couldn’t get the win, but it was a good experience—good to just get the first one over with.”
In right field, Anthony handled two routine plays but committed a two-base error on a ball that slipped under his glove, leading to an unearned run for Tampa Bay. “It just can’t happen,” he said. “Little things like that can be the difference.”
The 21-year-old outfielder, a second-round pick and one of Boston’s top prospects, was called up following an oblique injury to Wilyer Abreu. Anthony had been gaining attention recently after hitting a 497-foot grand slam in Triple-A—this year’s longest home run tracked by Statcast.
With Abreu headed to the 10-day injured list, the Red Sox needed an outfielder. They made room on the roster by designating Ryan Noda for assignment. Cora noted Anthony was more than ready. “The kid has done an amazing job getting ready for this moment,” he said. “We’re excited. It’s a big day for the organization.”
Anthony had just enough time to grab some gear—his glove, one bat, and borrowed cleats—before heading to Fenway, where he arrived a few hours before the game. For Anthony, the whirlwind was worth it. “Nobody’s really expecting it,” he said. “But better than being on the bus to Lehigh Valley right now.”
