Pair of Red Sox Legends Have Harsh Words for Team's 'Big 3' as Comparisons Arise
The Boston Red Sox have long awaited Kristian Campbell, Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer's Major League Debuts.
This year, all three players made their debuts for the team. Campbell has already signed an eight-year, $60 million extension, but was sent back to Triple-A to make some adjustments. However, Anthony and Mayer are currently in the big leagues, and the Red Sox will presumably want to get them extended as well.
Coming into the season, Anthony, Campbell and Mayer were the Red Sox's top three prospects, and all three were top 10 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. They quickly became known as the "Big Three." They are drawing comparisons to Jim Rice and Fred Lynn, who were coined the "Gold Dust Twins" when they were called up in 1974.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 09: Marcelo Mayer #39 of the Boston Red Sox (middle) speaks with Roman Anthony #48 and Kristian Campbell #28 prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park...
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - JUNE 09: Marcelo Mayer #39 of the Boston Red Sox (middle) speaks with Roman Anthony #48 and Kristian Campbell #28 prior to a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on June 09, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. MoreRice and Lynn helped the Red Sox win the American League pennant in 1975, but they are not fond of the comparisons between them and this new wave of prospects.
"The Big 3 is not anything like us. Don't compare them with us. Don't compare them with us," Rice told MassLive's Chris Mason. "You look at opposing teams that we played, (they) were much better than what you see now. The pitching was much better than what you see now. You had a four-man rotation. You don't have an eight-man, nine-man rotation. You don't have that. You had a stacked bullpen when we played. You don't have that. So you can't compare us with them."
The difference in era is undeniable, but Rice and Lynn have more problems than just the competition the Big Three face.
"Rookies today are treated vastly differently than when we were rookies," Lynn told Mason. "We didn't speak to the veterans unless we were spoken to, basically. You had to earn your stripes. ... These guys today, people are helping them. They have people help rookies! We didn't have any of that!"
Rice wasn't done, according to MassLive.
"You had to earn your respect," Rice told Mason. "Guys come in now and they just yak, yak, yak, yak and think they already got 10 years in. No, no, no. It's called respect. You've gotta earn it — and that's what Freddie and I did. We earned it."
All three players have had a spotlight on them on their way to the big leagues. Even though Campbell is in Triple-A, they all figure to be a huge part of the team's success moving forward.
The Red Sox missed the postseason in 1974, when Rice and Lynn were called up. The Red Sox are currently in the postseason race in Anthony, Campbell and Mayers' first season.
Lynn won AL MVP in 1975 while Rice finished third in the MVP race and second in the Rookie of the Year Race, to only Lynn, of course. Rice is a Hall of Famer and played 16 seasons with the Red Sox. He was an eight-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger and an MVP. Lynn played seven seasons with the Red Sox, but he was a nine-time All-Star, a four-time Gold Glover and a batting champion.
Anthony, Mayer and Campbell have a long way to go to reach the level of greatness that Lynn and Rice achieved on the field. However, the Big Three have a chance to do something special, just like the Gold Dust Twins did when they were called up.
More MLB: Red Sox Predicted To Cut Ties With $21M Pitcher After $200M Contract Report
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