Roman Anthony's Coming, But Don't Forget How Red Sox Got Here

The Boston Red Sox are about to get even better on Sunday. But the club's focus cannot change.

Apr 15, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Roman Anthony (left) and center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela return to the dugout after scoring against the Minnesota Twins in the sixth inning on a double by shortstop Trevor Story (not pictured) at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Boston Red Sox's roster is finally inching closer to being at full strength.

On Sunday, the Red Sox are expected to activate young outfielder Roman Anthony as well as shortstop Trevor Story off the Injured List. It's been a long time coming for both, but they will finally make their return to the majors. The timing couldn't be better as well. Boston will conclude a four-game series against the New York Yankees on Sunday, which could very well have playoff implications. Whichever team wins on Sunday between Boston and New York will win the season series and therefore have the tiebreaker for playoff seeding.

The story of the day will be the return of Anthony and Story, but it can't be lost how important the game, in general, is for Boston. Over the last few weeks, it has been talked about endlessly how Anthony and Story were close to a return. While speaking about the imminent return on Saturday, Willson Contreras had a perfect message. The Red Sox first baseman acknowledged that Boston needs these guys back, but also talked about the importance of the work the group as a whole has done for the last three months, as transcribed by Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.

"I think it's really important for us to get those guys back," Contreras said. "We need them. But it's also important to recognize the job or the work that the whole line has been put in for the last three months. I think those are tough decisions to make. I don't know what's going to happen [Sunday], but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team and we couldn't have done what we've done without them."

The Red Sox Are About To Get Even Better

Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony (19) bats against Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Monday, May 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

That's a leader right there.

Again, over the last few weeks it has been talked about over and over how these guys are returning. Boston does need them. But it's not the only thing to think about when it comes to Boston.

Again, Sunday's contest is going to be important in the long run, beyond the return of Anthony and Story. If the Red Sox win, they will be two games behind New York for the top Wild Card spot and hold the tiebreaker. If the Yankees win, they'll hold a four-game lead and the tiebreaker. It would be pretty hard to overcome that.

Plus, as Contreras noted, it's important to think about the sum of the parts. As the Red Sox transformed their season, it wasn't just one or two guys carrying the load. Boston has been able to turn the season around because guys have stepped up all over the place, due to injuries. Guys like Nick Sogard, Anthony Seigler, Andruw Monasterio, Mickey Gasper and Tyron Guerrero, among others. With Anthony and Story returning, we're going to see tough roster decisions. But it shouldn't be forgotten how impactful these guys have been.

Even with these guys returning, the focus can't shift. They're not coming in to save the day. They're coming in to add to an already high-powered club and hopefully raise the ceiling. Contreras' message is a good one. Boston is about to get better, but it can't be forgotten how the club got here in the first place.