Roman Anthony's Injury Could Be Bigger Problem Than Red Sox Let On

Even if he's back on Friday, these things can linger...

Aug 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony (19) stands on deck during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox didn't take long to declare that Roman Anthony's back issue was more than a one-day thing.

After he sat out Wednesday's game against the New York Yankees, Anthony will once again be out of the lineup for Thursday's series finale. That word came from manager Alex Cora on the "Greg Hill Show" on WEEI Thursday morning.

For multiple reasons, Anthony's second-straight absence provides reason for Red Sox fans to be concerned. Let's rattle some of them off, as Boston looks to avoid a highly embarrassing three-game sweep against its archrival without one of its best hitters.

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Short and long-term implications of Anthony's absence

Apr 18, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony (19) hits a single during the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

As we covered on Wednesday on Boston Red Sox On SI, Anthony came to Cora midgame during Tuesday's loss to the Yankees and said he was feeling some back discomfort, but wasn't sure when he might have tweaked it. He sat out Wednesday's game after telling Cora that he woke up not feeling at his best.

Though Cora said at the time that the Red Sox were hopeful Anthony might be back Thursday, it was fairly obvious that the team didn't know much yet. They still might not, but the fact that he's out again on Thursday certainly isn't a good sign.

Could there be a stint on the injured list in Anthony's future? For position players, the minimum absence required is 10 days, so Anthony could theoretically take a bit more time to reset by hitting the IL and still return next Saturday (if he's ready to go by then, of course).

Perhaps the larger issue here is that Anthony seems to be particularly prone to back and oblique injuries, and it's because he decelerates pretty violently at the end of his swing, with most of the force going through the back side of his upper body.

We knew year two for Anthony was going to come with some bumps in the road, because that's how things go when a young player is quickly anointed as a future star. Red Sox fans just have to hope this is Anthony's low point.