Minor League Baseball

Boston Red Sox Writer on Roman Anthony: 'He has nothing left to prove in the minors'

With the Red Sox seemingly spinning their wheels, writer Chris Cotillo says it's Anthony time at Fenway Park.
Jami Leabow|
Triple-A Worcester Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony runs on a fly ball against the Durham Bulls May 23.
Triple-A Worcester Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony runs on a fly ball against the Durham Bulls May 23. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox enter play Tuesday in the second game of a three-game series at Milwaukee with a 27-29 record, 7.5 games behind the New York Yankees in the American League East and 2.5 games out of the final wild-card spot.

They’ve been hovering around .500 all season, reflected by their 5-5 mark over the past 10 games. One Boston Red Sox beat writer said Tuesday that the team has no reason not to call up 21-year-old Roman Anthony, the No. 1 prospect in baseball.

The Red Sox brought up the team’s No. 2 prospect, infielder Marcelo Mayer, over the weekend after a serious quad injury to third baseman Alex Bregman created an opening. With an outfield already filled by Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela, the Red Sox haven’t found a space for outfielder Anthony.

Chris Cotillo, the Red Sox writer for MassLive.com, told Foul Territory TV that the time is now for Anthony, who is batting .321 (54-of-168) with seven home runs and 21 RBIs at Triple-A Worcester.

“For a team that needs a spark, the spark doesn't really come in the way of Mayer in my mind,” Cotillo said. “He's probably gonna be a great player but it comes because of a catastrophic injury. With Anthony, it could kind of be a, ‘Hey, but we need to turn this around,’ and so at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if it's any day.

“He has nothing left to prove in the minors. It's just they have Duran, they have Abreu, they have Rafaela, they have [Rafael] Devers, you know, playing, getting DH at bats every day. It's tough to find a place where to put him. I think, if they get creative with Rafaela and do something they don't want to do -- mix him into the infield mix or as a super utility guy --you know, maybe that clears the path and a couple more losses, then I think that spark, that urgency, comes even more into play.”

We’ll see if the Red Sox heed that advice.

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NOT ROAD, SWEET ROAD: The Toronto Blue Jays manager expresses dismay about playing in a glorified minor league park in Tampa. CLICK HERE
JAC AND MORE JACKS: Kansas City Royals' top prospect Jac Caglianone’s monstrous homers are the stuff of legend. CLICK HERE
FUTURES GAME: An Atlanta Braves icon will manage the National League minor leaguers in the Futures Game in July. CLICK HERE
GOODBYE, WORCESTER: Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony react to Mayer's long-awaited call up by Boston Red Sox CLICK HERE

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Jami Leabow
JAMI LEABOW

Jami Leabow is the managing editor of Minor League Baseball on SI. Her love for the game began when her parents bought season tickets to the then-California Angels.

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