The worst news for Boston fans isn’t that Roman Anthony is hurt. It is that the injury is worse than anyone thought. New scans revealed fresh muscle strains in his wrist alongside old damage. This changes everything for the Red Sox playoff hopes.
Scans Show Worse Damage
Anthony left Game 1 of the Wild Card Series with soreness after a checked swing. He struck out twice before getting pulled in a 9-0 loss. Manager Chad Tracy said the player was sent back to Boston for more imaging. The results were grim. “We sent him back to Boston for extra, additional imaging which actually revealed some new strains to different muscles in his wrist in addition to exasperating the old injuries. It’s not great,” Tracy told reporters, per ESPN.
This isn’t a minor tweak. The 22-year-old missed 101 games earlier this year with a torn ligament in his right ring finger. He only played 55 regular season games before this latest setback. His stats dropped from a .292 average last year to .245 this season. The Red Sox signed him to a massive $130 million extension hoping for a star. Now that deal looks like a gamble on a broken body.
A Brutal Playoff Rule
There is a cruel twist in the rulebook that fans need to know. If a player gets removed from a playoff roster during a series, he cannot play in the next series either. This means Anthony won’t just miss Game 2 against the Yankees. He will be ineligible for the entire ALDS if Boston advances. The team replaced Anthony on the roster with Curtis Mead, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Tracy tried to frame it as a common issue for players coming off long layoffs. “He’s obviously coming off that. You’ll get a zinger every once in a while where you feel something — it’s fine, it goes away,” Tracy said. But the reality is different today. “Today some stuff happened that was more serious and was uncomfortable,” he added, per ESPN. The hope is gone. The pain is real.
The Cost of a Broken Star
The Red Sox are one loss from elimination. They need every bat they can get. Jahmai Jones is set to hit leadoff as the designated hitter. The lineup includes Adley Rutschman, Willson Contreras, and Wilyer Abreu. Sonny Gray will start on the mound against a former team. But the lineup is missing its most promising young hitter.
Anthony was supposed to be the centerpiece of the next decade. His wrist issues have already cost the team almost four months of the regular season. Now they lose him in the playoffs too. The $130 million contract is secure, but the on-field value is gone for now. Boston has to hope Mead or Seigler can step up immediately. The clock is ticking, and the scans say time is not on their side.
