The wait is finally over for us Boston fans watching the Roman Anthony saga. After suiting up for the WooSox on Saturday night, the young outfielder is taking that final step before returning to the big league club. Tommy Cassell of Worcester T&G Sports broke the news that Anthony is packing his bags for home. The signal is clear: he’s coming back to Fenway Park very soon.
Cleared Out and Ready to Go
The visual evidence from Worcester speaks louder than any official press release could.
According to reports, the locker belonging to Roman Anthony at Polar Park has been emptied. This simple fact means he won’t be playing in the minor leagues beyond Saturday. Trevor Story is in the same boat, with his travel bag also packed up. Both players played for Triple-A Worcester on Saturday but were removed from the contest early. There was no setback, just a routine final game to get the rust off before the big move.
The Red Sox haven’t made an official announcement yet, but the timing makes sense. The team wraps up its four-game series against the New York Yankees on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m. ET. If the club activates Anthony and Story for this game, they don’t need to declare it until the roster move is processed on Sunday. The lack of a formal statement is just procedural, not a sign of doubt.
A Defined Spot at the Top of the Order
What makes this return so exciting is that the team already knows exactly where Anthony fits. Interim manager Chad Tracy has a specific plan for the 22-year-old. According to reports, Tracy told com Red Sox reporter Ian Browne that Anthony will bat leadoff versus right-handed pitchers upon activation. This is a massive upgrade for a lineup that has struggled with consistency all season. Anthony showed his patience earlier this year with 20 walks in just 109 at-bats before his injury.
Since early May, Anthony has been sidelined by a partial tear in the tendon of his right ring finger. He spent the last few weeks rehabbing alongside Story to get his timing back. In those 30 games before the injury, he hit .229 but posted a strong .354 on-base percentage. That ability to get on base is exactly what the Red Sox need as they push for a playoff spot. With a 73-61 record, the team was sitting third in the American League East as Saturday began.
The Yankees Series Becomes the Perfect Stage
Returning against the Yankees in the Bronx is the perfect way to kick off the final stretch. The Sox need a win on Sunday to split the series against the Yankees.
