The Boston Red Sox will return to Fenway Park happy on June 9 after an unexpected series win against the New York Yankees. Red Sox Nation can think of one easy way to keep the vibes riding high into their series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
It's long past time for Boston to call up baseball's No. 1 prospect, Roman Anthony. Not only did the Red Sox's series win against the Yankees show they're worth the addition, but Anthony has no business suiting up for another game in Triple-A.
The 21-year-old has proven he's MLB-ready time and time again, but his performance on June 7 removed all doubt. Anthony crushed a 497-foot grand slam, the longest home run hit by anyone in baseball this year, and broke the internet with his power. There's no excuse for him not to be hitting home runs of that caliber in the major leagues.
The Red Sox's upcoming series against Tampa Bay would be the perfect time to make the call (as if a dozen other perfect times haven't already passed). June 9 is the start of a divisional matchup in Boston, so Anthony would get to debut in front of home fans against a rival. The Rays are a good team with a 35-30 record, but they're one of the more "beatable" clubs the Red Sox will face in the coming weeks. After their upcoming homestand, the Red Sox will face the Mariners and Giants on a West Coast road trip, and having Anthony's bat in the lineup would help in those matchups.
Roman Anthony should be in the big leagues for Red Sox's May 9-11 series against the Rays
Roman Anthony absolutely crushed this grand slam! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/YMoeObKNeB
— MLB (@MLB) June 8, 2025
No matter how good he's been in the minor leagues, Anthony's call-up will create yet another logjam on Boston's roster. The young slugger has spent most of his innings in left field this year, where leadoff hitter Jarren Duran usually posts. Duran could move to center field to accommodate Anthony, but Ceddanne Rafaela recently got hot at the plate (.268/.305/.518 slash line with four homers in his last 15 games) and he's an elite defender.
But roster traffic shouldn't keep the Red Sox from calling Anthony up. The front office invested heavily in the team this season for the first time in nearly half a decade, and they're built to win. If Anthony's bat can make Boston's lineup longer — which it desperately needs with its 180 strikeouts with runners in scoring position — it needs to call him up as soon as possible.
At a certain point, Anthony's delayed call-up can't be characterized as anything but service time manipulation. If Anthony breaks out in the big leagues as people expect, he'll immediately jump near the top of the American League Rookie of the Year class, and if he places first or second, he automatically receives a full year of service time toward his eventual free agency. The Red Sox are a huge market and their focus on keeping Anthony in the minor leagues to ride out his ROY chances is embarrassing, especially when they haven't made the playoffs since 2021.
Monday is a scheduled off day for the minor leagues. The Red Sox need to be placed higher in the AL East to justify going all-in at the trade deadline. Anthony is ready for the big leagues, and the Red Sox can no longer deny it. Call him up.