The Boston Red Sox haven't made it official just yet, but according to manager Alex Cora, Roman Anthony is going to be missing in action for the next four to six weeks. The Red Sox skipper confirmed on WEEI that Anthony suffered an oblique strain, and Boston's rookie will now be sidelined for over a month.
This was obviously the direction things were headed after Anthony prematurely exited Tuesday's game and was scheduled for an MRI. Fans were hopeful at first that the outfielder merely suffered a simple back injury that could be cured by a couple days off. But Cora's proclamation revealed that isn't the case.
If this timetable is correct, Anthony will likely miss the AL Wild Card round, and if the Red Sox are fortunate enough to advance in the postseason, he could miss the American League Division Series as well. These types of injuries can be tricky, and while the four-to-six week timeline gives Red Sox fans hope, there's always the risk of a setback.
Alex Cora confirms Red Sox worst fears by revealing Roman Anthony diagnosis
The Red Sox had bee riding a wave of momentum for most of the second-half of the 2025 season. Heading into play on Wednesday, Boston is in a virtual tie with their AL East rival, the New York Yankees, have rattled off three straight wins and seven of their last 10 games, while also increasing their playoff odds to 98.2%.
Roman Anthony is headed to the IL and could miss 4-6 weeks with an oblique strain, per Alex Cora on @WEEI. pic.twitter.com/KayjpZIfcZ
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) September 3, 2025
Losing Anthony, however, is a big blow. The rookie felt something following a swing during the fourth inning of Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians. He was removed from the game and replaced by Nick Eaton.
With Anthony out for the next several weeks and Wilyer Abreu still on the IL, it's possible that Ceddanne Rafaela will receive more starts in the outfield while Romy Gonzalez or David Hamilton take over at second base. The Red Sox impending transaction to replace Anthony could also help solve Boston's current roster dilemma.
This latest setback may impact the Red Sox seeding in the upcoming MLB Postseason, but perhaps there's a slim chance Anthony will be ready for Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series during the first week of October.