By Tiffany Williams –
The Red Sox will be without one of their brightest young stars for at least the next 10 days, as the club placed outfielder Roman Anthony on the injured list Wednesday with a left oblique strain. To plug the roster hole, Boston recalled versatile infielder/outfielder Nick Sogard from Triple-A Worcester.
Anthony, 21, was pulled from Tuesday night’s game against the Guardians after the fourth inning and underwent testing that revealed the injury. The rookie had been one of the hottest bats in the lineup, hitting .292 with 18 doubles, eight homers, 32 RBIs, and 48 runs scored in 71 games since making his big-league debut earlier this season. His breakout month in August, when he hit .304 with six homers and a .910 OPS, earned him American League Rookie of the Month honors.
A second-round pick in 2022, Anthony has quickly climbed Boston’s organizational ladder. Before his call-up, he hit .288 with 10 homers and a .914 OPS in 58 games at Worcester, showing the mix of power and patience that made him one of the team’s most intriguing prospects.
In his place, the Sox turn back to Sogard, a 27-year-old switch-hitter who has already appeared in 18 games for the big club this season. He’s hitting .242 at the Major League level while providing defensive versatility across the infield. At Worcester, he was steady all year, batting .276 with 22 doubles, five homers, and 64 runs scored in 91 games.
For Boston, the timing is a gut punch. Anthony had been emerging as a lineup fixture and a spark in the outfield. Now, the team will lean on its depth and hope the young slugger’s stay on the IL is a short one.