Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony exited Tuesday night’s 9-0 postseason loss to the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium after experiencing discomfort in his right hand. This early departure throws his availability for Game 2 into serious question. Making his long-awaited playoff debut, Anthony departed the game after just two at-bats following a difficult night against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler.
Early Exit Compounds Red Sox Game 1 Loss
Anthony was hitting leadoff as the designated hitter and struck out twice against Schlittler, who delivered 6 1/3 dominant shutout innings. During his plate appearances, Anthony checked his swing and immediately flashed discomfort. In the top of the sixth inning, manager Chad Tracy opted to lift Anthony for pinch-hitter Andruw Monasterio.
The early departure compounded a miserable night for the Red Sox, who were shut out and routed 9-0 to fall behind in the best-of-three Wild Card Series. Speaking to reporters during his postgame press conference, Tracy explained the decision to pull the young outfielder.
“Today some stuff happened that was more serious and was uncomfortable,” Tracy told reporters, noting that Anthony’s hand “flared” on him during check swings.
Familiar Hand Injury Flares Up Again
The recurrence of hand pain is a major cause for concern in Boston. Anthony missed the majority of the regular season, sidelined from May 5 to August 29 due to a partially torn tendon in his right ring finger-an injury initially categorized as a wrist issue. He also experienced a minor scare during Boston’s regular-season finale on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, where he winced and flexed his hand after checking a swing.
Before Tuesday’s game, analysts noted that Anthony’s hand was already a talking point behind the scenes. NBC broadcaster and former Red Sox infielder Lou Merloni highlighted the lingering issue during the broadcast, pointing to Sunday’s game as an early indicator that the 22-year-old was not fully comfortable.
In 55 regular-season games this year following his return from the injured list, Anthony batted .245/.339/.396 with five home runs and 15 RBIs. Despite the lengthy absence, the Red Sox heavily rely on his potential at the top of their lineup after inking the top prospect to a historic $130 million contract extension.
Uncertainty Surrounds Game 2 Availability
When asked directly by reporters whether Anthony would be ready to play in Wednesday’s must-win Game 2, Tracy admitted that it was difficult to gauge right away.
“It’s hard to say right now,” Tracy said. “It’s one of those things where he obviously was in a lot of discomfort.”
The Red Sox face tough organizational choices moving forward. Under Major League Baseball postseason rules, if Anthony is deemed unable to continue and must be replaced on the active roster, he would be ineligible to return until the American League Championship Series should Boston advance. Any roster swap must be position-for-position, with speedster Braiden Ward emerging as a primary candidate to replace him if necessary.
With their backs firmly against the wall and elimination looming, the Red Sox await medical evaluations on Wednesday morning to determine whether their dynamic young bat can answer the bell.
