Red Sox Notes: Roman Anthony Update, Biggest Game 2 Decisions, More

The story of the 2026 season for the Boston Red Sox has been about overcoming adversity. On Wednesday night, the Red Sox will have to find a way to make magic happen again.

Boston's back is up against a wall and the club is one loss away from being eliminated from the postseason by its biggest rival for the second straight season. The New York Yankees took down the Red Sox on Tuesday night, 9-0. It wasn't Boston's night and now there is work to do.

Let's break down the biggest stories hanging over the club right now heading into Game 2.

Roman Anthony Update

Sep 29, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (19) is introduced before game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The young Boston outfielder left Game 1 early on Tuesday night after his hand/wrist "flared" up. The Red Sox pinch-hit Andruw Monasterio for Anthony in the sixth inning. Anthony missed more than three months due to a partially torn ring finger CMC ligament. He suffered the injury on a check swing back in May.

Game 2 is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET. With under 10 hours to go until the first pitch, as of writing, Anthony is still up in the air. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy shared on Tuesday night that the club was still "talking through" whether Anthony would need imaging on his hand.

“We're still talking through it,” Tracy said, as transcribed by MLB.com's Ian Browne. “The game just ended, but it's difficult. Obviously it flared up on him and became uncomfortable, and you have to make a move there. So we'll see what the next steps are, but yeah, it was difficult."

Tracy didn't rule out Anthony for Game 2 yet, although he did acknowledge that it was "hard to say" whether he would play.

“It's hard to say right now,” Tracy continued. “It's one of those things where he obviously was in a lot of discomfort. So we had to remove him. We'll have to see what tomorrow brings.”

Biggest Game 2 Decisions

Apr 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet (35) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Boston's back is up against a wall now and the Red Sox used five relievers on Tuesday. Sonny Gray will start Game 2 and then the Red Sox will have to decide who to utilize after him, assuming he doesn't pitch a complete game. Aroldis Chapman, Garrett Whitlock and Jake Bennett didn't pitch on Tuesday. Neither did Garrett Crochet, who is available. His status will be one of the club's biggest decisions to watch. With the Red Sox having no wiggle room, do you roll with a guy who hasn't pitched in a game since April and hope that he looks like himself? It's a tough question. The Yankees struggle against left-handed pitching, which is a pro for Crochet. But, again, he hasn't pitched in a game since April. Do you give him a shot after Gray?

Also, if Anthony does need to miss time, who do you replace him with? If Anthony needs to be replaced on the roster, he also would miss the next round, if Boston advances. Braiden Ward and Romy Gonzalez would be the most obvious replacement options. Gonzalez crushes lefties and the Yankees are rolling with Max Fried on the bump on Wednesday and have Carlos Rodon in the bullpen, who didn't pitch on Tuesday.

Ex-Red Sox Fan Favorite Closes Game 1

Sep 29, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) and pitcher John Schreiber (56) celebrate after defeating the Boston Red Sox in game one of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was a time when John Schreiber was a fan favorite out of the Red Sox's bullpen for years. Now, he's a member of the Yankees and he slammed the door shut in Game 1. He took the hill in the ninth inning and pitched a clean inning without a base hit or walk allowed. Plus, he struck out one batter. Certainly, not the best feeling for Boston fans.

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