Chicago Cubs looking at in-house options for now with starter Jameson Taillon likely out for a month
Manager Craig Counsell used Drew Pomeranz as the opener Saturday in an 8-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals and will have only one more outing to fill before the break.
Counsell said the off day Monday will give them time to decide who starts in Taillon's spot next week in the New York Yankees series at Yankee Stadium. Matthew Boyd, who pitches Sunday in the series finale against St. Louis, could go Friday in New York on his usual rest, giving Counsel the option of postponing the decision until next Saturday.
Chris Flexen, who gave up a two-run single and a solo home run in 3 2/3 innings Saturday, appears ready to fill the Taillon-created void in New York, though not necessarily as a starter.
'Flexen has been stretched out so he's a candidate to throw more innings,' Counsell said before Saturday's outing. 'Don't worry about that word (starter), is what I would suggest.'
Counsell paused for a moment and added: 'I don't mean to preach there.'
But preaching about pitchers as 'out-getters' instead of categorizing them as starters, middle relievers and closers, is what Counsell has been doing most of his managerial career.
Why stop now?
Pomeranz walked two and gave up a bloop single while recording only one out. The two runs on Thomas Saggese's single off Flexen in the first were charged to Pomeranz, ending the left-hander's streak of not allowing an earned run at 26 games and 23 2/3 innings since joining the Cubs' bullpen in late April.
Pomeranz was the last major-league pitcher with a perfect 0.00 ERA, with a minimum of 20 games. Since he was out of the major leagues due to injuries from August 2021 until this April, the earned runs were the first given up by Pomeranz in nearly four years — since July 27, 2021, with the San Diego Padres.
Taillon will likely miss around a month with what an MRI revealed was a moderate calf strain. He said Saturday it happened while running sprints after a bullpen session.
'Unfortunately I was on my last rep and literally almost done for the day and felt it grab on me,' he said. 'Typical bullpen day. It just came out of nowhere.'
Taillon said he's never had a calf strain before and has avoided soft tissue injuries over his long career. He plans to continue working through a plan to try and condition his arm while recovering from the calf strain in hopes of being ready to return to the mound once it heals.
With Justin Steele out for the season after left elbow surgery and Shota Imanaga missing most of May and June with a hamstring injury, Counsell has had to audible with his rotation plans several times. Cubs president Jed Hoyer is still trying to acquire a starter, but might not feel the need to rush things before the July 31 trade deadline. Taillon's turn in the rotation would come up only twice from the start of the second half until the deadline.
'What a luxury to have a guy like Chris Flexen throw multiple innings, or call up a guy like Jordan Wicks who is more than capable of getting big-league hitters out,' Taillon said.
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USA Today
26 minutes ago
- USA Today
Zac Gallen doesn't want to be in Diamondbacks' MLB trade deadline rumors
PHOENIX — The most intriguing team at the trade deadline is the Arizona Diamondbacks, who keep insisting they don't plan to be sellers – but may have no choice as the struggle around .500. While power-hitting third baseman Eugenio Suárez is the one grabbing the most attention with his 27 homers and 70 RBIs, and coveted by the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees, D-backs starter Zac Gallen (6-9, 5.45 ERA) could be the most compelling. Gallen has struggled with his command this season, and hasn't pounded the strike zone as in the past, opened a lot of eyes this past week when he overpowered the San Francisco Giants. He allowed just five hits and one run in seven innings, striking out 10 batters. It reminded everyone of his sheer talent, dominating the New York Mets and New York Yankees earlier this season, going 3-0 with a 0.92 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 19 ⅔ innings. It may be premature to say he's completely back, but teams scouting him have been impressed, believing that the D-backs will trade him before he hits free agency this winter. The irony of Gallen's success is that the better he pitches, the higher his trade value, but also the better chance that the D-backs keep him since he could get them back in the playoff race. 'I would like to not be in that discussion," Gallen, who has three top-10 Cy Young finishes in the last five years, tells USA TODAY Sports. 'I would like for us – and it starts with me – to put us in a position where the front office believes this is a team they can add to where we can finish this thing out and see what happens come October. Let's see what happens." And, obviously, the better Gallen pitches, the bigger his bank account will become when he becomes a free agent in November. 'I've never been a person that really thinks about the eternal factors, and all of that stuff," Gallen says, 'even going to back to being drafted. It's a thing. It's there. It is what it is. You just got to go handle your business." The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Meet the 'nicest player' in MLB: Cubs' Matthew Boyd stars after crushing injuries
CHICAGO — He may be the nicest, friendliest and most genuine player in baseball. He is loved by every one of his teammates, former teammates, coaches, managers, trainers, clubhouse attendants and batboys throughout the game. If you're not facing him, you're rooting for him. Everyone always wants the best for him, celebrating his triumphs, distressed during his injuries, surgeries and setbacks. MLB ALL-STAR GAME: Starters voted on by fans This 34-year-old veteran starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs should be going to the All-Star Game for the first time in his career. He is Matthew Boyd. 'Really, he's the nicest player in the game," Detroit Tigers starter Casey Mize, Boyd's former teammate, tells USA TODAY Sports. 'Sometimes, too nice. I want to tell him, 'It's annoying dude. You're too nice. Do you ever have a bad day?' " Says Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, who also is on the Mount Rushmore of the friendliest players in today's game: 'Hey, he's much nicer than I am. It's not even close. This guy is the same guy every day. He greets you with a smile on his face. He takes the time to actually ask questions. 'You know how you walk through the clubhouse and say, 'Hey, how you doing, or good to see you?' Well, he stops you and asks you that. He literally will stand in front of you, and want to talk to you and know the answer than just do the common courtesy. He's amazing. He cares about you not just as a baseball player, but a person. He brings people together, brings the best out of everybody, and he's always in a positive mood." Tigers Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Mize gush about the impact Boyd had on their careers when they broke into the major leagues, spending time teaching them the nuances of pitching, and preparing for the mental challenges. 'He was awesome, just a great veteran for myself and Tarik and the young guys when we first got into the big leagues," Mize says. 'I mean, he really helped us. He wanted to make it as easy a transition as possible, and was just a super positive person that was really kind to us, always trying to make us better as players.'' It was no different for the position players, too, helping them develop into stars, on and off the field. 'He's one of best humans I've ever met in my life," Tigers All-Star outfielder Riley Greene says. 'He's just awesome. When I came up as a young kid, he was just one of those guys who taught me how to carry myself, what to do, teach the ins-and-outs of baseball. And he was super approachable. 'It's tough to not root for him because he's such a great guy, and he's fun to compete against too because he's a great competitor." He is a true All-Star, and if that time comes that he is formally announced, you will hear a celebration from coast-to-coast. Boyd is 8-3 with a 2.65 ERA and has been the most impactful pitcher on the entire Cubs' staff. He has permitted two or fewer runs in seven consecutive starts with a 1.66 ERA. He is tied for the third-most victories in the league, and ranks sixth in ERA. He even leads all pitchers with eight pick-offs. Pretty sweet for a guy who has already made more starts (17) this first half than in any entire season since 2019. 'He's a guy we all root for unless he's pitching against us that night," Cleveland Guardians pitching coach Carl Willis says. 'We loved him here. He was a guy we will always remember for what he did for all of us. 'The way he prepared. The way he competed. The way he respected the game. He wasn't with us long, but he left a lasting impact on all of us." Who else would spend just four months of last season with the Guardians, sign a two-year, $29 million contract with the Cubs, and then call manager Stephen Vogt to apologize for leaving? 'He's one of the best human beings I've ever been around in my entire life," Vogt says. 'Just a great teammate, great person, great husband, great father. We don't talk about those things enough in our game, people enough. 'When you know somebody like Matthew Boyd, you want him to go out and be successful because of who he is as a person." This is a guy who could have easily forsaken the baseball gods over the years for the rash of injuries that stripped him of his greatness. There were the four consecutive injury-shortened seasons. The triceps strain and forearm strain in 2021. The flexor-tendon surgery in 2022. The Tommy John surgery in 2023. The recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2024. The injuries prevented him from making more than 15 starts 2019 until this year. The injuries limited him to only one winning season as a starter in his career. The injuries kept him from pitching 80 innings since 2019. So many injuries, so many letdowns, so many frustrations, but not once did Vogt get angry at anyone, seek empathy, or feeling sorry for himself. 'All of the injuries I had, the Tommy John surgery, I wouldn't wish it on anybody," says Boyd. 'I was still very blessed. I look back on it now, and in 2021 we just had our twins, so I got to stay home. I got to coach my son's first year in T-ball, and I got to help coach my daughter's softball team. Sure, it would be nice to stay healthy, but we're a product of our experiences." And never once did the injuries impact the man's spirituality. Boyd is a deeply religious man with a wife, Ashley, and four young kids (8, 6, and 4-year-old twins), who co-founded a nonprofit organization called Kingdome Home, to help stop child sex slavery. 'I trust God and know he has good things planned for me,' he says. 'Every time there have been these unknowns in my life, he has come through better than I could have imagined. That's where my peace comes from." Boyd always believed one day that he would be healthy. One day he would become a front-line starter. And one day lead his team to the World Series. Now may be that time. He has never felt better. He has never pitched better. And he has the Cubs cruising in the NL Central, residing in first place since April 4. 'The Cubs expressed a lot of interest early, and the most interest," Boyd said, 'so we prayed, we prayed a lot for clarity. My wife and I have always prayed since we first got together, and it's kind of cool how God comes through. This is a place where I've always wanted to be, and there were so many reasons for us to be here, but I didn't know if it would ever happen. 'This franchise has got such a great history and history, and the fans are so into it, but there's a family connection here that was important to us.'' Boyd's grandfather, John Boyd, who died in 2019, grew up in Chicago. His first job was a groundskeeper at the White Sox's Comiskey Park but he was also a diehard Cubs fan. 'It's pretty special to be here, it's something that means a lot to me, to honor him like this"' says Boyd, who grew up in Mercer Island, Washington, about 30 minutes outside Seattle. 'Growing up, he was always talking about the Cubs, always. Like, I honestly think the happiest days of his life was when I debuted, and when the Cubs won the World Series. I remember being at my parents' house for Game 7 watching on TV, and when they won, he called my dad and started crying. 'I always called him after my outings, too. And when we talked, sometime during the conversation I would hear about how the Cubs did that night. I'd tell him about my outing, and he's say, 'That's great, but [former Cubs pitcher] Kyle Hendricks pitched great tonight, too'" The Cubs, who lost ace Justin Steele after four starts with season-ending elbow surgery, were without All-Star Shota Imanaga for seven weeks with a left hamstring strain, and are now without starter Jameson Taillon until August with a right calf strain, can't begin to imagine where they'd be without Boyd. They gambled in the offseason that he'd be a steady performer after watching him go 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA in his eight starts with the Guardians, and dominate in the postseason with a 0.77 ERA. Yet, to think he could do this? 'We were very optimistic based on a very small sample, which is hard,' Jed Hoyer, Cubs president of baseball operations, told reporters after Boyd's last start. 'He pitched really well, obviously pitched in the playoffs. You never know exactly. He was a little bit of an unusual background. 'He's certainly exceeded expectations for us.' Boyd always knew that if healthy, he could become one of the best pitchers in the league. Sure, he's the one who put in all of the hard work, but he'll tell you that pitching coach Tommy Hottovy deserves a lot of the credit, and credits Kelly, who he first met back at Oregon State when he hosted Kelly as a college recruit. 'I have to give a lot of credit to the pitching guys that just helped unlock me mechanically, helping me be just a little bit more athletic," Boyd said. 'It's amazing what a few small tweaks can kind of bring out of you. I mean, there are so many variables, and I really don't like saying this, but after everything I've been through, I believe that my best is ahead of me, but if God has different plans, I know that will be great too." All his troubles happened for a reason, Boyd says, and now with his success, he's glad to share his journey to anyone who will listen. 'Hey, I know things may not always go the way you wanted," Boyd said, 'but I know that God doesn't make mistakes. He has had me in certain places for certain reasons. I may never know the reason why, but that's completely fine. 'I don't write the script, but the one who is much more powerful than me, writes it a whole lot better. 'So, I can't wait, because it's going to be amazing." Around the basepaths – While MLB teams and players are getting rich off gambling sponsorships, there's a growing fear among team executives and players that a gambling scandal could be around the corner, and ruin the integrity of the sport. Cleveland Guardians pitcher Luis Ortiz, who's being investigated by MLB for gambling on baseball, is facing a lifetime suspension if found guilty that he was betting on his own games in which he appeared. 'We talk about it all of the time," one GM said, 'and we'd be naive to think nothing is going on. It's getting scary." – The Cubs' urgency to find another starter accelerated when they placed veteran Jameson Taillon on the injured list with a calf strain, sidelining him for at least a month. They continue to purse Pirates starter Mitch Keller, but his price-tag is soaring with Keller yielding a 2.40 ERA in his last five starts, including seven shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals. – Executives wonder if the Pirates will now be reluctant to trade some of their most valuable chips now that the team is performing well under interim manager Don Kelly (26-25), which would further alienate their fanbase. – Teams are starting to closely scout Kansas City Royals starter Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.65 ERA), believing that if they are out of the race, he'll definitely be placed on the trade block. Lugo, in the middle of a three-year, $45 million contract, has an opt-out after this season that he'd likely exercise instead of returning for $15 million in 2026. – The Yankees would love to acquire D-backs third baseman Eugenio Suarez at the deadline and slide Jazz Chisholm back to second base. The Yankees, along with the Detroit Tigers and Chicago Cubs, have also expressed interest in Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes. – The Mets, who had a surplus of pitchers just three weeks ago, now have placed six pitchers on the IL – three starters and three relievers – since June 13. They are 5-14 in that stretch and are canvassing the market for starters and relievers. – While July 1 is famously known as Bobby Bonilla Day, collecting $1.19 million every July 1 until 2035, this is a holiday that others now share: Chris Davis, who hasn't played for the Orioles in five years, just picked up $9.16 million on July 1 as part of his deferred contract. He'll be paid at least $1.4 million through 2037. Also being paid July 1: Of course, beginning in 2034, it will become Shohei Ohtani Day. He is owed $68 million a year from 2034-2043 after deferring all but $2 million of his annual $70 million contract. – There will be a new Home Run Derby champion with Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Herandez saying he will not return to defend his title, making sure he stays healthy for the rest of the season. 'I wasn't tired at the end or the next day," Hernandez told the Orange County Register, 'but I was really sore. I think if your body is not ready, 100%, it can cost you an injury. So, I don't want to risk it. I'd rather be healthy and be playing the regular season. 'Good luck to the ones who are going to participate.' – Atlanta has zero interest in trading Ronald Acuña Jr. Acuña is earning $17 million a year through 2026, and Atlanta has club options for $17 million in 2027 and 2028. He's not going anywhere. – The Toronto Blue Jays, who have won the AL East just once since 1993, has the entire country of Canada in a frenzy after finishing off a four-game sweep of the Yankees for the first time in franchise history, and moving into first place. Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins also boldly stated that the Blue Jays will be ultra-aggressive at the trade deadline, seeking a starter and a catcher. – While the Phillies are looking at relievers David Bednar and Dennis Santana of the Pittsburgh Pirates, they badly need a right-handed hitting outfielder at the trade deadline. Their left fielders are hitting .178 with a .278 slugging percentage against left-handed pitchers this year with their center fielders hitting .235 with a .309 slugging percentage. The decision to sign free agent outfielder Max Kepler to a one-year, $10 million has backfired. – The Red Sox haven't been the same since trading away Rafael Devers, 8-9 entering Saturday, but the Giants have been much worse since acquiring him, going 6-12. Devers is hitting just .215 with a .676 OPS, striking out 26 times in 65 at-bats since joining the Giants. – The Cleveland Guardians are expected to unload first baseman Carlos Santana by the end of the month, who could be a nice fit for the Boston Red Sox, while also potentially moving outfielder Lane Thomas and perhaps closer Emmanuel Clase. Clase should bring in a haul of prospects if the Guardians move him. He is under team control through 2028, owed $6.4 million in 2026 with $10 million club options in 2027 and 2028. – Pretty impressive that the Houston Astros are running away with the AL West, winning 27 of their last 37 games, despite All-Star slugger Yordan Alvarez playing just 29 games. 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Look at their rotation from their opening series in San Diego: And you wonder why they're 39-47 and sitting in fourth place in the NL East. – It's stunning that Boston Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman still is dominant at the age of 37, yielding a career-low 1.32 ERA this season, while still throwing 100 mph with one pitch clocked at 103.8. – While the Giants picked up the 2026 option on manager Bob Melvin's $4 million-a-year contract, they did not give him an extension, making it more of a simple vote of confidence. 'If anybody deserves any blame from the top, it should be on me," Buster Posey, president of baseball operations, said after making the decision. 'It shouldn't be on our manager or coaching staff. I'm the one who sets the roster. So, I feel like with all those things considered, this was a good time for me to show my belief in Bob and his coaching staff." – Phillies starter Ranger Suarez is having a walk year for the ages. Check out his last 10 starts: – The Tampa Bay Rays, with an adjusted schedule to keep them out of the summer heat and rain delays in Tampa, are in the start of a stretch of play 35 of 52 games on the road. If they survive this stretch, they deserve to play their home postseason games wherever they choose. – There have been only six catchers in history who have hit 40 or more homers in a season. Mariners All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh could have 40 by the All-Star break. He entered Saturday with an MLB-leading 35 homers, already eclipsing his career high. – The Angels, believe it or not, have used only five starters the entire season. – Brutal break for Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy, who was hitting .308 with 12 homers and a major-league leading 48 RBI in his past 46 games, before suffering a deep bone bruise in his knee that will sideline him about six weeks. – Remember when the Yankees (42-25) and the Mets were (45-24) were sitting in first place and cruising back on Friday (June) the 13th. The two New York teams limped into the Subway Series this weekend having lost 28 of their last 39 games, and out of first place. The Mets were 6-14 since June 13 and the Yankees were 6-15. – Javier Báez, the man called El Mago, pulled off his finest magical trick by making the All-Star team as a starting outfielder despite ranking just ninth among outfielders with a .783 OPS, while actually playing more games at shortstop than in the outfield. – The Dodgers are so deeply and richly talented that they have survived 15 pitchers going on the IL, employed an MLB-leading 34 pitchers, prolonged slumps by Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy, and are still running away with the NL West. The Dodgers and Giants were tied for first place on June 13, only for the Dodgers to win 15 of their next 18 games allowing them to use the second half as a dress rehearsal for the postseason. – If there was an All-Star selection for a utility player, Ernie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays would be your man. During this Blue Jays' MLB-best 23-10 run, Clement is hitting .362. He leads the Blue Jays in WAR (2.4) and ranks fourth in baseball by producing 12 outs above average. – Just because a prospect tears up the minor leagues for a few months doesn't mean that he's instantly ready for the big leagues and that his success will automatically translate to the big leagues. Meet Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone. He entered July 6 hitting .157 with a .204 on-base percentage and .255 slugging percentage, striking out 24 times in his first 102 at-bats. – The Cleveland Guardians' offense continues to spiral, which should make them sellers at the trade deadline, losers of 22 of their last 28 games while scoring the fewest runs in MLB during that stretch. While All Stars Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan are hitting a combined .300 with a .818 OPS, everyone else is hitting .203 with a .615 OPS. – No one loves hitting at Dodger Stadium more than Houston Astros first baseman Christian Walker. He became the first player to homer in six consecutive games at Dodger Stadium on Friday, giving him 20 career homers, 18 while playing for the Diamondbacks. – Maybe Yankees closer Luke Weaver wasn't quite ready to come back after spending less than three weeks on the injured list with his strained hamstring, as researcher Bill Chuck points out. He had a 1.05 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP on June 1, yielding two homers in 25 ⅔ innings, but since coming off the IL is yielding a 13.50 ERA with a 1.88 WHIP, giving up four homers in just 5 ⅔ innings. – Welcome back Paul DeJong, who returned to the Washington Nationals for the first time since being hit in the face April 15, breaking his nose, cheekbone and orbital bone below his eye. 'It's been a humbling experience for me to go back to square one," DeJong told reporters, 'and just pray to get healthy and recover from a traumatic injury.'' Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Roman Anthony hype train has passed. Now Red Sox mega-prospect faces 'the gap'
WASHINGTON — It's a strange existence, this life as baseball's No. 1 prospect. The greater glory is often in anticipation, the projection of minor league greatness to big league excellence, and the parlor game of just when a buzzworthy talent will land at the game's highest level. Roman Anthony reached that apex on June 8, when he hit a 497-foot grand slam for Class AAA Worcester, a blast that figuratively punched his ticket from central Massachusetts to Fenway Park. Days later came the hurried drive east, the first big league start, hit and RBI and the fan delirium of what might come next. And then, the hard part. 'You kind of understand that as a player – when you're a prospect in the minor leagues and then when you come up here, nobody really cares anymore about your prospect status,' Anthony tells USA TODAY Sports. 'It's time to help the team win.' To that point, Anthony, 21, has been wildly successful, even if his first almost month in the major leagues has not yet produced a sizzle reel worth of sharable moments. It would be hard to match the hype: Anthony's ascent as a hitting savant since the Red Sox chose him with the 79th overall pick in 2022 crested these past two seasons, as an .879 career minor league OPS zoomed to .940 at Class AAA. So when Anthony began his career with two hits in his first 27 at-bats – an .074 average and .416 OPS – the hype machine cooled. And a maelstrom gathered around him: The club abruptly ended its cold war with All-Star slugger Rafael Devers and on June 15 traded the designated hitter to San Francisco in a blockbuster that roiled two franchises. Anthony had one major league hit to his name then, but the Red Sox did not consider spoon-feeding him; instead, they moved him to the No. 3 hole, and he's batted either second or third in 16 games since. They were rewarded with such foresight: Anthony has 16 hits in 50 at-bats since, a .314 average. One week ago, he had no multi-hit games; now, he has four, coinciding with the Red Sox winning five of seven to crawl back to .500 at 45-45 entering July 6. 'Now,' says Red Sox manager Alex Cora, 'he's finding green. He's getting on base at a high rate. He's doing an outstanding job.' Even if his contributions aren't the stuff of breathless anticipation. Roman Anthony overcomes 'gap' between minors, MLB It's true: Home runs get the headlines. And Anthony hasn't homered in nearly three weeks and 56 at-bats, since his first and only big league dinger off Seattle's Logan Gilbert on June 16. That's not surprising given his batted-ball profile: Anthony's groundball rate of 55% is 11% higher than the league average. He has struggled most with spin, to be expected of a young player, with a 40.5% whiff percentage on breaking pitches, more than three times his rate against fastballs. And yet, he's ripped six doubles and makes the right contributions to keep the lineup whirring. Cora lauded his focus in drawing a walk with an eight-run lead Friday; the next day, he hit a ball to the right side to move a runner that scored, then rolled a pair of singles that way to aid the Red Sox's 10-3 victory over the Washington Nationals. That we are witnessing the building of a foundation as opposed to an instant smash is hardly a surprise in this era. Since the revamping of the minor leagues in 2022, the gulf between Class AAA and the big leagues has been widening. Anthony played just 93 games over two seasons at Worcester and was a month past his 21st birthday when he debuted in Boston. He was tossed into a grind where three-city, nine-game road trips are common, whereas the minor leagues have largely shifted to a format where six-game series in one destination are commonplace. 'I think the gap between minor league baseball and the big leagues is the biggest I have witnessed as far as stuff, execution, fastballs, obviously breaking ball stuff,' says Cora. 'Traveling, everything. This whole six days in one city – it doesn't prepare them for this. We played at 11 yesterday, we play at 4 today, tomorrow at 1, hop on a plane and then we got seven in a row in Boston. 'Minor league baseball is not preparing these guys for what this is. They've done a good job adjusting. The organization does a good job with them when they get here, try to keep it as simple as possible. But it's a big adjustment period.' Anthony adds another factor to this: The cutthroat nature of the majors, where the game becomes a binary – did you win or lose? – as opposed to the developmental priority of the minor leagues 'I think the biggest adjustment is learning how to prepare yourself to help the team win every single day,' says Anthony. 'In the minor leagues, and coming to the big leagues, the idea of showing up every day to win is so much different than it is in the minor leagues. 'My experience so far has been awesome.' It doesn't hurt that the Red Sox are hitting an offensive high point in the post-Devers era, scoring double-digit runs in four of their last seven games. They haven't shown a consistency in all phases to compete in the American League East but encouraging performances of late from starters Lucas Giolito and Walker Buehler create some hope they may can stay in many more games than they were earlier this season. Cora admires Anthony's ability to flush outcomes with the aplomb of a much more veteran performer. 'He's a consistent player, a consistent individual,' says Cora. 'He does not get caught up in results. He wants to put up good at-bats. 'He wants to get better.' Roman Anthony would 'much rather have it this way' Anthony, of course, is just one of a gaggle of mega-prospects who came up through Worcester in recent years, now playing alongside infielder Marcelo Mayer. The third piece of their Worcester triad one year ago, catcher Kyle Teel, was dealt to the Chicago White Sox in the Garrett Crochet trade this winter. Teel made his debut one week before Anthony, and the two talk or text frequently, Anthony admiringly noting that Teel is 'killing it' on the South Side, with a .283 average and .400 OBP. Yet it is Anthony – who will officially lose his 'prospect' status by around the All-Star break – that many in the game believe will produce a 15-year career. Become an elite hitter. And, eventually, elevate the ball, put more of them in the seats and remain the longtime cog in the Red Sox lineup. That's still a way off. And the new-car sheen of his debut has long faded. Yet the beginning of a long relationship is only just beginning – with Anthony quietly fulfilling his end of the bargain, with greater things to come. 'I feel like AC trusts me and I feel like I've been having good at-bats and doing what I need to do to help the team. Continue to get better at that every day,' says Anthony. 'Credit to the staff, trusting me and putting me in that position to hit there with such a great lineup around me. 'I'd much rather have it this way than be a prospect in the minor leagues. I'm in the big leagues and this is the dream – to be here. Just being a player on the Boston Red Sox who is trying to help this team win.' The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
