Roman Anthony Admits Red Sox's Marcelo Mayer Trade 'Hit a Little Different'

When the 2026 Major League Baseball trade deadline came around, the Boston Red Sox clearly were willing to make splashes.

The biggest example of this certainly was the addition of Adley Rutschman in a blockbuster deal with the Baltimore Orioles. But that wasn't all for the Red Sox. But cut ties with former top prospect Marcelo Mayer after six seasons in the organization. He was drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 MLB Draft and was expected to be the shortstop of the future.

Now, he's in the San Francisco Giants organization. Boston acquired lefty reliever Erik Miller for Mayer.

The deal certainly came as a surprise. Again, Mayer looked like a core piece for the franchise, along with guys like Roman Anthony, Garrett Crochet and more. But injuries and inconsistent play changed things. The deal itself has been talked about left and right, which led to some ridiculous — and debunked — rumors about why it happened. On Tuesday, before Anthony kicked off a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Portland, the young outfielder opened up about his friend being traded away, as seen in a clip shared to X by Tommy Cassell of Worcester T&G Sports.

Roman Anthony Speaks On Marcelo Mayer Trade

iMay 3, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter Roman Anthony (19) warms-up before batting against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"I think any time somebody goes, you know, it's sad," Anthony said. "Marcelo hit a little different. I came up with him and lived with him every day. He was my roommate ever since I was 18, 19 years old. Seeing him go, I was excited for him to get a new opportunity. Almost like a refresh and to be back close to him.

"I think it will be good for him. Hopefully, I'll get to see him come back to Boston. That would be pretty cool, right? I was sad, obviously. I speak to him quite a bit."

Roman Anthony gives his reaction to close friend and former roommate Marcelo Mayer being dealt away by the Boston Red Sox at the MLB trade deadline. pic.twitter.com/x6e4l9j36H
— Tommy Cassell (@tommycassell44) August 18, 2026

There was a time last year when Anthony, Mayer and Kristian Campbell were called the "Big 3" and expected to make a major impact with the club right away.

Now, a year later, Anthony is working his way back from injury, Mayer is in the Giants' organization, and Campbell is in Triple-A and hasn't played in a big league game since June 18, 2025. Life moves quickly in the majors.

On the bright side, Red Sox should at least see Anthony back in the majors soon. His rehab assignment officially begins on Tuesday. The rehab assignment can last for a maximum of 20 days. So, at the latest, he will return in early September, barring a setback, although he may not need the entire window.

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