Boston pulls Anthony from the roster
The Boston Red Sox are taking outfielder Roman Anthony off their roster because of a hand injury, with multiple new strains in the hand and a re-aggravation of the problem he dealt with earlier in the year. Curtis Mead and Anthony Seigler are the candidates to replace him, and the league had not yet approved the transaction at the time the details emerged. By rule, a player removed from a playoff roster during a series must also sit out the following series, so Anthony would not be eligible for the ALDS if the Red Sox advance. Rob Bradford of WEEI, Chris Cotillo of MassLive and Ian Browne of MLB.com were among those who relayed the details.[S1]
The injury has cast a shadow over Anthony's sophomore season. After debuting last year with a strong .292/.396/.463 line across his first 71 big league games, he signed a $130MM extension with the club. His second campaign never reached that level: wrist and hand trouble sent him to the injured list for nearly four months of the regular season, limiting him to 55 games and a .245/.339/.396 slash line. The official diagnosis when he went on the IL in May was a right wrist sprain, but Anthony said the actual problem was a torn ligament in his right ring finger. What was initially expected to be minor lingered for most of the season.[S1]
A worse diagnosis than May
Anthony returned to the field in September and made the Wild Card roster, but he left last night's game with renewed soreness. Manager Chad Tracy said the outfielder was sent back to Boston for additional imaging, which revealed new strains in different muscles of his wrist along with irritation of the old injuries. Tracy described the situation as not great. The Red Sox lost that game and now face elimination, leaving the club focused on staying alive rather than on Anthony's availability.[S1]
Anthony served as the designated hitter in that game, with an outfield of Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran. With left-hander Max Fried starting for the Yankees, Nate Eaton replaced Duran in tonight's lineup and Jahmai Jones took the DH spot. Mead or Seigler will join the bench once the transaction is formally approved. Anthony could still factor into the ALCS or the World Series if Boston survives, but the injury sounds ominous: given that his previous absence lasted several months and this episode appears worse, it would be a surprise if he were healthy enough to play in a few weeks, though the club has not explicitly ruled him out for the season.[S1]
What comes next for Anthony and Boston
At some point, whether because Anthony is shut down for the year or because the club's season ends, attention will turn to the future. The Red Sox and Anthony will have to determine how to restore his hand to normal, whether that requires surgery or another path. The decision carries weight for a player the club has already committed to with a nine-figure extension and for a team whose postseason hopes now rest on the players still available.[S1]
