Mickey Gasper has been absolutely fantastic since his recall on August 17th, quite literally leading the Red Sox on a five-game winning streak, but Roman Anthony’s return from rehab looms large and could totally upend everything. This guy has been the hottest hitter in all of baseball since coming up, and now his job is on the line. Are you kidding me?
Anthony’s Comeback: Bronx Bound and Lineup Shaking
Roman Anthony is back on the scene, and dude is READY to make some noise. He’s been grinding in rehab, saying he’s hopeful to get back up there “as fast as I can” and looking forward to getting back into a big league game “as soon as possible.” That return looks like it could happen as early as Friday, when he might make the short drive to meet his teammates in The Bronx for a crucial three-game series against the Yankees. What’s at stake in that series? Oh, just the chance to leap ahead in the standings and grab home field advantage in the first round of the postseason against those very same Yankees! When Anthony does come back, he’s almost certainly going to be an everyday contributor. That means the team will need to clear room in either left field or designated hitter, which brings us to the real gut punch.
Who Gets Cut? The Gasper vs. Duran Showdown
Chad Tracy, the Red Sox skipper, has already dropped a bombshell hint that it will be Mickey Gasper getting the short end of the stick here. The plan looks like Duran stays in left field, and Anthony takes DH against righties, rotating in more against lefties. This move, if it happens, essentially leaves Gasper without a job, which is just bonkers when you look at his numbers.
Since August 17th, in just 8 games and 29 plate appearances, Gasper is slashing an insane .476/.621/1.333 with 5 homers, 3 doubles, and 12 RBI. His 393 wRC+ and 1.0 fWAR make him the hottest hitter in all of baseball! Seriously, how do you send that down? Jarren Duran has been much better too, becoming “not the worst hitter in the sport” over his last 30 games and 118 plate appearances, hitting .273/.316/.464 with 5 dingers, 4 doubles, 1 triple, and 14 RBI. But Gasper’s recent surge is just on another level.
More Roster Headaches on the Horizon
And the lineup questions don’t stop there! Anthony’s arrival creates a ripple effect throughout the entire roster. Anthony, Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela are considered locks. But what about Jahmai Jones and Eli White? The Red Sox also have Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa on their way back, and even if one of them waits until rosters expand, someone is still getting sent down. The Red Sox brass has a ton of difficult decisions coming up in the next few weeks, and it’s going to be wild to watch how it all shakes out. The Friday series against the Yankees could set the tone for the entire postseason picture, and these roster moves will be critical.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Over the Monster.
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