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Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Roman Anthony Signs An 8-Year $130 Million Extension With The Red Sox
About 90 minutes before the first pitch of the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, rookie sensation Roman Anthony sat in a custom-made suit at a table in Boston's media room. He was there, along with team CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball office Craig Breslow, to announce his new eight-year, $130 million contract, that will keep him 'The Hub' until he is about thirty years old. At just 21 years of age, Roman Anthony has become a centimillionaire. Not bad work for a guy who just two months ago was in Triple-A and who has played only 47 career games. With the signing, Boston's 'Roman Empire' has officially begun. But the long-term deal should not come as a surprise to Red Sox Nation or baseball fans outside of New England. Anthony entered the season as Keith Law's No. 1 prospect, and is slashing .276/.392/.417 after getting off to a slow start (through his first 10 games, he was hitting .097, with just three hits and one home run; that, despite hitting at least five balls more than 100 MPH, and 15 more than 90 MPH). Since then, all he has done is slash .318/.430/.462, with 42 hits in 37 games. He has been an anchor in the Red Sox lineup, where manager Alex Cora now has him hitting leadoff. The extension is also in keeping with what the club has done as of late. Last season they signed 26-year-old pitcher Brayan Bello to a six-year, $55 million contract after just two big league seasons. The next month they locked up future Gold Glove centerfielder (when he is not playing above-average second base) Ceddanne Rafaela with an eight-year, $50 million deal. This was signed after he played in just 28 games. After Boston made a big off-season splash to acquire Garrett Crochet from the Chicago White Sox, they doubled down nearly immediately, giving him a six-year, $160 million extension. According to The that is the largest contract ever given to a pitcher with just four years of service time. And then, after playing just five games in the majors, the Red Sox signed infielder Kristian Campbell to an eight-year deal for $60 million. The long-term commitment didn't save Campbell from being demoted to Triple-A after he got off to a rough start (.223/.319/.345, with -0.8 bWAR through 67 games). After losing Mookie Betts – the team claimed he turned down a 10/$300 million offer, he claimed that never happened – the Red Sox are loathe to allow any potential franchise players to leave via free agency. It is for that reason they signed Rafael Devers to a 10-year, $313.5 million deal in 2024, which gave them the right/control to ship him off to San Francisco in June, making the team the scorner not the scornee. With respect to Anthony, the Red Sox broached the idea of a long-term deal with his reps prior to the season, but the player was not yet ready to commit, having not yet even taken a single at-bat at Fenway Park. After the trade deadline, Breslow reached out with a new proposal, which got Anthony's attention. At his pre-game press conference, the left-handed slugger said, 'When the offer came through, it was something that I wanted to move quick on. There was no doubt that this is where I wanted to play baseball for a long time.' The new deal buys out Anthony's arbitration years as well as three years of free agency, at an average annual value of $16.25 million. Boston is paying a $5 million signing bonus and has a $30 million club option for 2034, when Anthony will be just thirty years old. Taking a page from Julio Rodriguez's 2022 deal with the Seattle Mariners, according to Spotrac and Alex Speier of The Boston Globe, the current contract includes various and sundry escalators. To wit: So, if Anthony were to win the MVP award every season of the deal (including the option year), he could make himself an extra $80 million. And if he were playing that well, ostensibly he would make the All-Star team each of those seasons, which would add another $1.8 million. But Anthony does not need to be Barry Bonds (seven MVPs) or even Shohei Ohtani (three) to have this deal be a financial boon for a player who, just three months ago, could not legally buy a drink. Regardless of what the future holds, Roman Anthony has set himself and his family up for life, and the Red Sox have locked in yet another piece of their future at a reasonable rate. This is the rare win-win.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Mindful of painful history, Red Sox make Roman Anthony the one who didn't get away
BOSTON – Roman Anthony hurried through an otherwise empty clubhouse. A custom suit hung in his locker. This wasn't a typical Wednesday for a franchise that's become well aware of the cost that comes with letting homegrown stars get away. Ninety minutes before first pitch – when Anthony is usually just finishing up batting practice – he sat in that navy blue suit between Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, the latest recipient of a long-term contract extension in Boston. Anthony signed an eight-year, $130 million deal, the largest for any player on the team with fewer than 150 at-bats. Laden with escalators, a league source said, the deal can reach a total value of $230.2 million. Advertisement 'When the offer came through, it was something that I wanted to move quick on,' Anthony said with teammates, coaches, family, front office members and ownership, including team owner John Henry, packed into the press conference room. 'There was no doubt that this is where I wanted to play baseball for a long time.' The Red Sox were cognizant of their botched negotiations with homegrown players. Not signing Mookie Betts to a long-term deal is something that will hang over the club for years to come. When the opportunity presented itself to secure Anthony at an unusual time in the season, they made it a priority. 'In the past, when we haven't signed homegrown players, it's hurt,' Kennedy said. 'We haven't found a way to a deal. So thanks to the Bres for being so aggressive (on Anthony).' Anthony, 21, has the potential to be the next homegrown franchise cornerstone. He will earn $2 million next season and $29 million in his final year of the deal, with a $30 million team option in 2034, according to a source. He'll earn an extra $1 million this season if he finishes first or second in Rookie of the Year voting. The deal includes escalators for top-10 finishes in MVP voting, including $2 million if he wins. He'll earn an extra $200,000 for any year he's named an All-Star. Anthony would have become a free agent after 2031; now he's secured through at least 2033 and potentially 2034. The Red Sox were the first to reach out to Anthony's camp shortly after the trade deadline, a league source noted. During a quiet period days after the trade deadline, Breslow saw a window to re-engage and jumped at it. Anthony's camp knew his value. The top prospect in baseball has hardly struggled at all since his debut on June 9. His camp knew Rookie of the Year was in play and that he held future All-Star and MVP potential. While the Red Sox had signed Kristian Campbell for six years, $60 million earlier this season and Ceddanne Rafaela for eight years, $50 million last year, Anthony's agents were adamant about a much larger deal. Advertisement Initial contract talks in spring training were exploratory, according to a source, and did not come close to any real negotiations. This second round of talks became serious quickly and Anthony expressed a desire to remain in Boston. 'Back in the spring, I hadn't had any experience playing here yet,' Anthony said. 'I didn't really know what to expect yet. It was just more wanting to be here and getting a feel for the everyday lifestyle here…when I got to experience it, even being just 150 at-bats in, I can tell this is where I want to be. There's no doubt.' In roughly 20 months leading the Red Sox, Breslow has made a priority of securing several players to long-term deals including Rafaela and Brayan Bello last season and Garrett Crochet and Campbell this year. But all of those deals came in spring training or right at the start of the season. Two months after trading Rafael Devers, freeing up $254 million in salary, the Red Sox reinvested some of that money in Anthony. Though Breslow said the moves were 'largely independent,' the signing came on the heels of a trade deadline in which the club didn't take on significant salary. 'I guess the beauty of the trade deadline is that it is a true, rigid deadline,' Breslow said. 'Once it passes, we can comfortably shift our priorities to other things. We wanted to kind of strike up these conversations immediately.' Breslow described a number of 'spirited and passionate' conversations he and the front office had with Anthony's group about the player's potential future earnings, particularly in regards to his current Rookie of the Year status. If Anthony won the award before signing the deal, he would have gained an extra year of service time, allowing him to reach free agency sooner. The Red Sox needed to add a similar provision to the deal. Advertisement 'I think it clearly didn't become this prohibitive element or factor, but it was something that both sides needed to get comfortable with in terms of how we were going to address it,' Breslow said. 'It's real. We can't ignore it. But at the same time, the overriding overarching themes here, where Roman wants to be a Red Sox deep into the future, and we want Roman to be a Red Sox deep into the future.' One close comparison that was likely used in negotiations is Arizona's Corbin Carroll. Carroll signed an eight-year, $111 million deal ahead of the 2023 season, before he went on to win NL Rookie of the Year. Carroll had compiled 1.4 fWAR in 32 games at the time he signed the deal; Anthony had a 1.6 fWAR in 46 games at time of his deal. Less than two months into his major-league career, Anthony hasn't felt overwhelmed. He isn't surprised with how he's performed, carrying a quiet confidence that's neither boastful nor cocky. He knows how good he is; the escalators give him a chance to prove it. 'For me, it was a deal that was obviously more than enough for me and for my family and a place that I want to be,' he said. 'Those escalators just give me a chance to continue to grind every day and help this team win and be the best version of myself that I can be each and every day.' Breslow had high praise for Anthony's impact in a short amount of time on one of the more exciting Red Sox teams in the past few years. 'I think it's special. I think it's remarkable,' he said of Anthony's impact on the team. 'I'm not sure that there's a metric that we should look at uniquely and believe that it perfectly captures the impact that he's had. 'If you look at the success that the team has enjoyed, that kind of lines up almost perfectly with his debut, then you start to see a clearer picture of the impact that he's had.' Now Anthony has a chance to impact the club for the better part of the next decade. (Top photo of Roman Anthony: Brian Fluharty / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Bloomberg
16-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
The Deal: Sam Kennedy
In this episode of The Deal, Alex Rodriguez tells Jason Kelly about his experience at the MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta. Then, they speak with Sam Kennedy about his 'bold decision making' as President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox. Kennedy tells the hosts how he handles tough decisions like trading Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants, why buying Liverpool FC is proof that 'there's really no bad ideas,' and why he decided to invest in the PGA Tour.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Red Sox's Sam Kennedy Announces Team Has ‘Green Light' to Be Buyers at Trade Deadline
Red Sox's Sam Kennedy Announces Team Has 'Green Light' to Be Buyers at Trade Deadline originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Boston Red Sox have had an up-and-down season as they sit at 43-45 as the All-Star break approaches. The Red Sox are currently fourth in the American League East, and three games back in the wild card race. Advertisement Boston finds itself in a group that could wind up as sellers or buyers at the deadline because of their place in the standings at this point. However, team president Sam Kennedy spoke on the Greg Hill Show earlier today and revealed that his front office has given the team the green light to be buyers at the MLB trade deadline. The Red Sox already made a blockbuster trade earlier this month when they sent superstar Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants in return for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, and two prospects. Now, the Red Sox could be in the market to stock up before the deadline to make a run at the postseason. When asked by WEEI's Jermaine Wiggins if he believes the team can make a run if they acquire the right talent, Kennedy gave a firm response. Advertisement 'Absolutely,' said Kennedy (WEEI 97.3 FM). 'We have the ability to do that in terms of, you know, a blessing from ownership, and fulfilling our goal of becoming a postseason team. That said, we have to start playing better baseball on a more consistent basis." Although the Red Sox have the front office's support, Kennedy didn't mince words about the team's recent inconsistencies. Over the last 20 games, the Red Sox have won six straight and lost six straight, and gone 5-3 over the other eight games. 'I mean, when we're playing sloppy defensively, when we're not running the bases as well, when the bullpen's struggling, it's really hard to keep up in the American League East," Kennedy said. "So we've got to play better baseball and prove to ourselves over these next seven series that this is a team that can do what we think we can do." Advertisement The AL East is a stacked division with three teams within a half game of each other sitting 10 games over .500. The Red Sox have three series before the All-Star break, including two against the two worst teams in the National League and a four-game series to end the first half against the Tampa Bay Rays, who sit above them in their division. President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox Sam Kennedy applauds before a game against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Rutherford-Imagn Images The Red Sox need a strong finish before the All-Star break to put themselves in a position to buy at the deadline and make a run in the second half. 'I mean, we were very aggressive this offseason. We had what we thought was a really great offseason in terms of the additions and the extensions - with Garrett Crochet and Alex Bregman and Aroldis Chapman. We just - for a lot of reasons, we've been a .500 or below .500 team. That's not what we're looking for here. So to answer your question - yes, we do have the ability to go out and improve the team," Kennedy said. "But we also have to play better baseball, to put ourselves in a position where the postseason is realistic, and we gotta get going.' Advertisement Boston has the green light to acquire the talent they need to make a second-half run, but the production and consistency on the field has to improve. The Red Sox play next on July 4, when they open a three-game set with the Washington Nationals. Related: Red Sox's Alex Cora Seemingly Calls Out Trevor Story Again This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
Al Arabiya
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Al Arabiya
Rafael Devers Explains Why He Is Willing To Play First Base For The Giants But Not The Red Sox
Rafael Devers had a consistent mantra when he addressed the Boston media for the first time since his surprising trade from the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants five days ago. 'The past is in the past,' Devers said repeatedly Friday when asked about his time with the Red Sox and why the relationship deteriorated so much this season that the team traded him less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in 2023. Devers did give one piece of insight when asked what he would tell Red Sox fans about why he is willing to play first base in San Francisco if he is asked after refusing to do so with the Red Sox when asked last month. 'I would say that I have put some good numbers up over in Boston,' he said through an interpreter. 'I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect. If they would have asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes I would have played (first).' Devers's relationship with the Red Sox began to deteriorate when the team signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to designated hitter; he balked before agreeing to the switch. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the field, and he declined, saying the front office should do their jobs and look for another player. A day after Devers's comments to the media about playing first, Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora. Devers's stance didn't change, and he was eventually traded to San Francisco. He said he wouldn't have done anything differently in his time in Boston. 'I put up good numbers over there,' he said. 'I always gave my 100 percent.' The Giants were happy to acquire Devers after striking out in their bid to sign a big bat for the middle of the lineup in free agency. Devers went 3 for 11 with two walks and an RBI in his first three games with San Francisco as a designated hitter. He has started working out at first base and said he would be happy to play there as soon as he feels comfortable. 'Like I said in the past, that is not a position that you're going to learn how to play overnight,' he said. 'I just have to continue that practice there.' Devers said he is as happy as he has been in years in his first few days with the Giants and enjoyed the opportunity to see some of his friends on the Red Sox on Thursday night when the team arrived in town. 'It's been a few hectic days,' he said. 'A long week it feels like. But I saw my friends yesterday, so I was happy to be able to see them. I'm very happy.' Devers said he didn't have anything good or bad to say about Cora but said he would talk to him on the field this weekend when he had the chance. Devers was 20 when he made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2017. He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and led the team in RBIs for five consecutive seasons from 2020–24. He has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times. The Giants have lacked slugging since Barry Bonds hit 45 home runs in 2004; they are the only team in the majors who have not had a batter hit 30 home runs since then. Devers has hit at least 30 home runs three times. Devers is not the first Red Sox All-Star to be traded away: The team sent Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2020 season in a salary dump – just a year after he won the AL MVP award and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and its fourth World Series title since 2004.
