The Boston Red Sox are sitting pretty in the Wild Card race, arguably the American League’s best story in 2026. This team was one of the worst in MLB last year, and they’ve climbed to a top spot in the AL without their rookie sensation from last season, Roman Anthony. He’s been out since April with a torn ligament in his ring finger, an injury that completely stumped MLB doctors because it had basically never happened before. But guess what? Anthony just dropped a bomb in his AA Portland rehab debut, and now everyone’s split on whether to rush him back or play it safe.
Anthony Explodes Back Onto the Scene
When the article says Anthony dominated, it means he *dominated*. In just four at-bats, this kid went 2-2 with a single, then a first pitch no-doubter home run like it was nothing, AND he drew two walks. Like, seriously? That’s the kind of debut that makes fans go absolutely wild. You better believe a ton of people in Boston are perfectly okay with the idea of getting Anthony back in the mix ASAP. He’d immediately be an upgrade over Jarren Duran in left field, and imagine him drawing walks as a leadoff hitter. That’s a game-changer right there.
But Hold Up: Rushing Players Has Burned Them
But hold up, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for Boston when it comes to bringing guys back too fast. The Red Sox have already had some trouble with rushing players this season. Romy Gonzalez is the first example: he had almost no prior play time this year before a couple of rehab games. When he hit the MLB field, he was ice cold and got sent right back down to AAA. Then there’s Adley Rutschman, the big splash they got at the trade deadline. He only had two rehab games before joining the team and went a brutal 1-18 in his first 18 at-bats. He’s since acclimated and become a solid part of the roster, but those early struggles were real. Because of those instances, there are plenty of fans who are totally against rushing Anthony too.
So, What’s the Call? Get Him Back, Stat!
Honestly? Anthony should probably come back ASAP. This ain’t Romy Gonzalez 2.0, folks. Unlike Gonzalez, and more like Rutschman, Anthony actually played baseball this season *before* his injury. He was in the WBC, Spring Training, and even got a month of MLB play under his belt. Plus, while Gonzalez and Rutschman were just “adequate” in their rehab stints, Anthony is absolutely crushing it. If the Red Sox are serious about making a deep October run, they need to get their young franchise star as ready as possible at the MLB-level. This isn’t just about getting a player back on the field, it’s about pushing for that deep October run. Getting their young franchise star ready at the MLB level is exactly what the Red Sox need to do.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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