Ever since Roman Anthony's rehab assignment began on August 18, there has been tons of speculation about when he'll return to the Boston Red Sox. The discourse has only increased with an update he gave on August 25, in which he said he was feeling good enough to potentially be activated for the Sox's series opening game against the New York Yankees on Friday.
Then, Anthony said after his 2-for-4 night on Thursday that he felt he needed more at-bats before he was ready to join the big league squad. He and Trevor Story left Polar Park that night without their duffel bags and arrived back at the field on Friday afternoon, despite both players being off and out of the lineup.
But Anthony left Polar Park before Friday's game, according to Tommy Cassell of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Cassell posted a video of Anthony's car puling out of the parking lot less than five hours before first pitch in the Bronx, meaning it'd be impossible for him to get to Yankee Stadium in time to start against Cam Schlittler on Friday.
But his departure around 3:00 p.m. on Friday could get him to New York in time to be well-rested for a start on Saturday afternoon. The Red Sox and Yankees will play a doubleheader on Saturday, for which both teams get to add a 27th player to their rosters. Anthony could be the 27th man for Boston, Red Sox insider Chris Cotillo posits.
Red Sox could call Roman Anthony up as the 27th man on roster for Yankees doubleheader
This move makes some sense for the Red Sox, whose replacement infielders have been red-hot at the plate lately. Mickey Gasper is slugging like never before and Nick Sogard can't stop hitting game-winning RBIs — Boston may see the current chemistry of the team as too good to give up during its most crucial series of the year against the only team ahead of it in the Wild Card standings.
Cotillo theorized that Story could also be activated tomorrow, which means only one player would have to be optioned to add both players to the active roster. Anthony Seigler could be an option candidate since his offensive production has slowed a bit since the Sox's torrid streak in July. (Whether Story has earned the shortstop job back from Seigler or anyone else is a different story entirely).
It's a shame that Anthony won't get to face Schlittler on Friday evening — a matchup Sox fans have long been waiting for since Anthony was injured list postseason when the Massachusetts native faced the Red Sox for the first time. But Anthony hasn't played in the major leagues in three months and it makes sense that Boston isn't rushing him back for a Friday debut.
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