Red Sox rookie stays hot as teammates rave: ‘Yordan Alvarez, that's my player comp'
Anthony, after reaching base four times in Boston's win over Los Angeles on Saturday night, changed the game Sunday afternoon when he made it a one-run game by scraping an RBI triple off the Green Monster in the bottom of the fifth. He then trotted home on Alex Bregman's go-ahead homer that put the Red Sox ahead for good.
• Sign up for Red Sox columnist Sean McAdam's exclusive newsletter
Bregman was the hero for the second straight Sunday. But the two-time champion pointed to Anthony — who in the leadoff spot was hitting in front of him for the first time — as a game-changer.
'Roman has been awesome,' said Bregman, unsolicited. 'Four times on base last night, gets on his first at-bat today and then hits a big triple. He's doing it. He's going to be a special, special player. It's definitely fun hitting in front of or behind him in this lineup. It reminds me of earlier in my career when Yordan Alvarez got called up. That's my player comp for him.'
A comparison to Alvarez, of course, offers high praise, as the Astros slugger has been named to three All-Star teams, won the Rookie of the Year award and received MVP votes in three seasons since debuting in 2019. Starter Walker Buehler said Anthony reminds him of Dodgers slugger Max Muncy because of his big body and plate discipline. The right-hander also referenced two other former Dodgers stars in discussing Anthony.
'I think he's going to be one of the best players in the big leagues very, very soon,' Buehler said. 'Personally, I think his brain and obviously the physical stuff everyone can see. But who he is as a person, I think is pretty special. I've been around some really good ones. I've been around Corey (Seager) and Cody (Bellinger) and seen how those guys progressed through the first couple years of their career. He's definitely cut from that cloth.'
Anthony arrived in the majors with sky-high expectations when he debuted against the Rays on June 9. He started 5-for-44 (.114) with a .518 OPS in his first 15 games, but the Red Sox were just waiting for the rookie's stat line to catch up with his strong approach and hard-hit rate. It has — in a big way. In 32 games since June 18, Anthony has the fourth-best on-base percentage (.433) in baseball. He's hitting .309 with 12 doubles, a triple (Sunday's) and an .897 OPS in that span despite hitting only one homer.
BETTING: Red Sox -1.5 runline is listed at +158 on FanDuel for Monday's series opener versus Minnesota. If you're new to betting and want to learn more about how to bet on sports, check out our Massachusetts sports betting guide.
'I just don't think we've seen him super comfortable in terms of getting the A-swing off a ton,' said Buehler. 'Swing percentage is super, super low and he walks and does all these underlying things. Once it's time and he starts getting his big swing off on pitches he knows is coming, I think special things are gonna happen.'
Beyond keying Sunday's rally, Sunday represented an eventful afternoon for Anthony. For the first time in the majors, he led off, trading places in the lineup with Jarren Duran, who hit third. In his first at-bat, he was hit in the foot by a Dustin May pitch, then scored on a Trevor Story sacrifice fly. That pain lingered all day, necessitating a visit from Alex Cora and a trainer after the triple.
'He grinded through it,' said Cora. 'He's learned the last nine games. Being sick in Chicago and you have to post. Today, he got hit right away. It was tight but he grinded through it. That's what big leaguers do.'
Anthony's big weekend comes just days after perhaps his worst 48-hour stretch as a big leaguer. Facing star pitchers Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez, he became the first Red Sox player ever to strike out four times in back-to-back games. He was out of the lineup Wednesday after a stretch in which he went 3-for-16 with 11 strikeouts in a four-game span.
'It was just moreso that I didn't do a good job of adjusting in Philly,' Anthony said Sunday. I't was simple. I was obviously working on a few things and grinding out a few things with Breg and the guys in the cage. At the same time, things like that can't happen. I say they can't happen, but they will happen.
'Knowing the type of hitter I am, type of player I am, I'd match myself up with anyone on any given day. So we'll give that to those guys and move on.'
Anthony entered as a pinch-hitter in Wednesday's wacky game and doubled in the 11th inning. That swing — his first of three extra-base hits in his next four games — helped turn things around.
'From there, I was like, 'Hey, screw it.' These last two days were a learning lesson. Those are the kind of arms you see in the playoffs. Those are the kind of arms you see from the best team. Understanding that, taking that with me and kind of just putting it in my back pocket and moving on was huge.'
Though Anthony's swing mechanics were a bit off, his teammates and coaches never worried. Cora scoffed at a question about Anthony needing to make adjustments late Tuesday.
'He's going to go through stretches,' the manager said after Sunday's win. 'He faced Wheeler and Sánchez back-to-back days. They're really good at what they do. He didn't get exposed. He just got beat. There's a difference between getting beat in the big leagues and getting exposed.'
Cora, like Anthony's teammates, has repeatedly raved about Anthony's mature approach in everything he has done since being promoted. And Anthony is happy to take that praise, especially when a name like Alvarez is invoked.
'That's a cool comp,' said Anthony. '(Alvarez) is a good hitter, so I'll take it. I've actually talked with Alex a lot about Yordan and about some of the guys he's played with. Just learning so much from Alex and guys that he's been around. He's a winner and he knows how to game-plan.'
More Red Sox coverage
What Alex Cora joked about with Red Sox veteran Alex Bregman (go-ahead HR)
Diving double play in Red Sox win turned Fenway into 'craziest' it's been in 2025
What Ichiro Suzuki's Hall of Fame induction meant to Red Sox DH
Red Sox reactions: Roman Anthony (RBI triple), Alex Bregman (HR) lead comeback win
Aroldis Chapman leaves Red Sox game with injury, is considered day-to-day
Read the original article on MassLive.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
a minute ago
- New York Times
Mets trade deadline takeaways: Strengthening the bullpen at a reasonable cost
SAN DIEGO — The New Mets were one of the most active teams at the trade deadline, making four deals to acquire three set-up relievers and a center fielder. The final deal came on Thursday with the acquisition of Baltimore's Cedric Mullins to take over in center. Here's what you should take away from the most aggressive deadline the Mets have had in a decade. Advertisement The Mets' 3.80 bullpen ERA actually ranks reasonably well — 11th in the majors entering Thursday. However, built into that production have been better-than-expected years from Reed Garrett and Huascar Brazobán and contributions from a handful of relievers now out for the season, most notably A.J. Minter. So New York's primary focus at the deadline was constructing a sturdier bridge to get the ball from the starter to Edwin Díaz. President of baseball operations David Stearns accomplished that mission and then some, bringing in Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers and Gregory Soto — arguably the three best rental relievers dealt this July. Carlos Mendoza's late-game options now run seven deep. As anyone on Year 3 of listening to the audiobook version of 'The Power Broker' during their commutes can tell you, though, constructing a bridge is expensive, both now and into the future. The Mets gave up eight prospects for those three relievers, all of whom will be free agents this winter. If those prices felt high in the moment, they looked better as more relievers were dealt for significant returns on Wednesday and Thursday. The Mets ultimately stood pat with their rotation, deeming the available options too deficient to constitute a legitimate upgrade. Satisfied with their rotation depth, the Mets sought a pitcher good enough to start a postseason game for them — so better than Clay Holmes or Frankie Montas — and few of those names moved. Merrill Kelly, dealt from Arizona to Texas, was the only starter traded who qualified That's a large reason Stearns beefed up his bullpen. Down the stretch and into the postseason, New York won't be asking for much more than five innings or 18 batters from their starters, planning to then turn games over to a deeper pen. A similar approach worked well for last year's World Series champion Dodgers. Stearns had publicly identified center field as the Mets' likeliest target to improve the offense, given the injury to Jose Siri and Tyrone Taylor's subpar production all season. Although an imperfect fit, Mullins provides a sturdier floor at the position, both offensively and defensively. Following his 2021 breakout season, Mullins has been just above a league-average hitter, as he is again this season. He's gotten there unevenly in 2025, with an excellent April and July bookending a deep slump lasting all of May and June. The Mets hope his uncharacteristic success against left-handed pitching (.866 OPS this season) continues; that's been a need for their offense. Advertisement With Mullins on the roster, the Mets can move Jeff McNeil back to second base more regularly. While McNeil had filled in admirably in center, the toll on his body is less at second and Mullins is a more experienced defender out there. And with the veteran back at second base, the Mets whittle down how many of their inconsistent young bats are in the lineup on a daily basis. Mendoza has done well to ride the hot hand(s) among Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña this season. But come October, it would probably behoove the Mets to have a more stable lineup. For our 'one bold prediction' at the deadline, I suggested the Mets would add meaningfully to the major-league roster without having to sacrifice a top-10 prospect. That's precisely what Stearns and Co. did, bringing in three set-up relievers and a starting center fielder while trading away mostly mid-tier prospects. (Jesús Báez, who went to St. Louis in the Helsley deal, was the highest-ranked of the prospects moved entering the season, cracking some top-10 lists and even one top-100 list. More recent rankings, however, had soured a touch on Báez.) Instead, the Mets mostly moved minor-league relievers — three for Mullins, one for Helsley and one for Soto. Four of the pitchers they traded (Nate Dohm and Frank Elissalt to St. Louis, Anthony Núñez and Chandler Marsh to Baltimore) had only been in the organization since last summer. That's evidence of the Mets' newfound ability to scout, sign, and develop less heralded arms into useful trade pieces swiftly. It is reasonable for New York to think it can replace those kinds of players in the system annually. Furthermore, the Mets paid attention to a looming logjam on their 40-man roster. José Buttó was out of options and about to get squeezed by the bullpen additions. Blade Tidwell was on the 40-man but had fallen behind some other near-ready minor-league starters. Drew Gilbert, Raimon Gomez and Anthony Núñez would all have needed to be placed on the 40-man this winter or risk being selected in the Rule 5 draft. That made them more expendable now than they would have been otherwise. (Top photo of Tyler Rogers: Bob Kupbens / Imagn Images)
USA Today
2 minutes ago
- USA Today
8 winners (Phillies!) and losers from the 2025 MLB trade deadline
The MLB trade deadline passed once the clock struck 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, July 31. And 2025's trade deadline didn't disappoint at all. We saw big names like Jhoan Duran and Mason Miller move to contenders. We also saw several teams sell or opt to stick with their current group. And really, the top of the NL East and NL West are shaking up to be battles down the stretch. Let's take a look at the big winners and losers from the trade deadline. Winner: Philadelphia Phillies The Phillies knew they had to be active in order to keep pace with the Mets atop the NL East standings. So, Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski got to work and made aggressive deals to acquire former Twins closer Jhoan Duran. And in a separate deal with Minnesota, the Phillies picked up Harrison Bader. They're going for it — that's for sure. Winner: New York Mets While the Phillies struck big at the deadline, the Mets started off slow by questionably parting ways with some top prospects and José Butto for a one-year rental in 34-year-old Tyler Rogers. They also traded for Ryan Helsley who is on an expiring deal. But the Mets weren't done. About two hours ahead of the deadline, New York landed Cedric Mullins from Baltimore for Raimon Gomez, Anthony Nunez and Chandler Marsh. Mullins brings elite defense and some offensive spark to an outfield that needed help. Winner: Mason Miller I mean, Mason Miller must be pumped to leave the Athletics' situation in Sacramento and land with a contender in the Padres. It difficult to imagine a bigger upgrade. Winner: Eugenio Suárez Suárez knew he was almost certainly on the move at the deadline with the Diamondbacks selling. And the D-backs definitely did him right by trading him back to Seattle. On top of being one of the best hitters in baseball over the past 162 games, Suárez is adored by Mariners fans. It's a great situation for him ... and a familiar one. Loser: Atlanta Braves If there's any team that should be selling at the deadline, it's the Braves. The team that began the season as an expected World Series contender is now stumbling towards 90 losses. Yet, the decision to stick with the current group was a puzzling one. At the very least, Marcell Ozuna should have been moved. The team needs a reset, but it didn't happen at the deadline. Loser: Boston Red Sox The Red Sox are solidly in the AL wild-card hunt, but when you neither buy nor sell, it gives other teams an opportunity. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow made a move for Steven Matz and acquired Dustin May just ahead of the deadline, but otherwise, it's been quiet for Boston. That's not going to fire up a clubhouse. Winner: Athletics Yes, the Athletics traded another foundational talent in Mason Miller. It's what they do. But for that haul, you can't hate on the A's for making that move. In picking up top Padres prospect Leo De Vries (the No. 3 overall prospect in baseball), Braden Nett (Padres No. 3 prospect), Henry Baez (Padres No. 13 prospect) and Eduarniel Núñez (Padres No. 17 prospect), the A's turned Miller into multiple core pieces for the team going forward. The A's have to be ecstatic over that haul. Loser: Minnesota Twins The Twins took selling to a different level at the deadline. Duran and Bader are gone. Carlos Correa is heading back to Houston. Brock Stewart is bound for Los Angeles. Danny Coulombe was dealt to the Rangers. Willi Castro is going to the Cubs. Griffin Jax is off to Tampa. Louis Varland and Ty France were late trades to Toronto. A complete fire sale like that has the team waiting for the season to end.
Axios
2 minutes ago
- Axios
Houston Astros reacquire Carlos Correa in trade
Carlos Correa will play for the Astros once again after agreeing to a trade from the Minnesota Twins. Why it matters: The All-Star shortstop's homecoming lines up with the Houston squad's forward momentum, already in progress. Driving the news: The Astros acquired Correa from the Twins hours before the MLB trade deadline Thursday, multiple outlets reported. Correa had to agree to the trade, signaling his eagerness to rejoin the team. Details of the deal weren't immediately available, but Correa had $96 million and three more years left in his contract with Minnesota. State of play: The Astros acquired Correa while he's on the injured list, having suffered a sprained ankle during a game on July 11. He's currently day-to-day and had a .267 batting average in 2025 until the injury. Houston is 62-47 (.569) this season, with 53 games left in the regular season. The intrigue: Correa, when healthy, will likely replace Isaac Paredes at third base, who will miss at least the next two months with a hamstring injury. What they're saying:"I'm coming home and there's only one goal in mind and that's to win championships," Correa said, per Brian McTaggart. Flashback: The Astros selected Correa as the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2012. He made his debut in 2015 and won American League Rookie of the Year before leading the Astros to their first World Series win in 2017. He's also a three-time All-Star and a Gold Glove recipient.
