6 days ago
Roman Anthony continues to attach himself to Ted Williams in Red Sox history
Roman Anthony is just 21 years old, but he's seemingly etching his name in the Red Sox history books on a nightly basis. The rookie is now doing things only the great Ted Williams did before him in a Boston uniform.
On Tuesday night, Anthony matched the Splendid Splinter by barely taking the bat off his shoulder. And when he did swing, Anthony left Daikin Park in Houston for a second straight evening.
Anthony was just 1-for-2 for the Red Sox out of the leadoff spot, but he drew four walks and scored four times in Boston's 14-1 victory over the Astros in Houston. His lone hit of the night was a 428-foot solo home run in the top of the eighth, making it back-to-back games Anthony has gone yard in Houston.
Anthony's four-walk game is the first of his career and the first for the Red Sox since Kyle Schwarber worked four free passes back on Aug. 26, 2021. But Schwarber was a patient, 28-year-old veteran when he did all that walkin', not a rookie who just hit the legal drinking age three months ago.
"As the leadoff guy, I'm just trying to get a good pitch to hit, understanding that, if not, my job is to get on and take my walks," said Anthony, who didn't swing his bat once during his four free passes.
Anthony also homered, crushing a Colton Gordon fastball for a solo shot to lead off the eighth inning. That big swing -- Anthony's fourth home run of the season -- put him in the same air as Ted Williams once again.
At just 21 years and 91 days, Anthony is the youngest Red Sox hitter to homer in a four-walk game since Williams did so on Sept. 20, 1939 at the age of 21 years and 21 days. Anthony is the third-youngest player in MLB history to accomplish the feat, after Mel Ott (20 years, 124 days in 1929) and Williams.
The Teddy Ballgame connection doesn't end there for Anthony. He reached base 82 times over his first 50 games in the Major Leagues, tying Williams for the most to start a Boston career.
Anthony also shares another incredible stat line with Williams: They're the only two players in Red Sox history with at least 20 extra base hits and at least 25 walks drawn over their first 52 games.
Not too shabby for Anthony, though he has a long way to match what Williams -- who owns a .344 average and .an MLB-best 482 OBP for his career -- did at the plate throughout his 19 seasons in Boston.
But the rookie is off to an incredible start, slashing .286/.406/.451 with an .857 OBP over his first 52 games. Anthony has been scorching over his last 30 games, hitting at a .330 clip to go with a .443 OBP, 23 runs scored, and 16 RBI for the Red Sox.
Anthony has only been 21 for a few months, but his veteran approach at the plate has been leading to good things for the Red Sox, and has put the rookie right next to one of the greatest hitters alive in the Red Sox record books.
