Boston Red Sox fans were right to fear the worst for Roman Anthony after he was pulled from Wild Card Game 1. The outfielder didn't come out for his sixth inning at-bat and many reporters and fans quickly suspected he'd re-injured his hand.
Anthony spent four months of the season on the sidelines healing a rare injury for a baseball player, a ligament tear in his ring finger. During the regular season finale against the Chicago Cubs, Anthony appeared to shake out and flex his hand on a check swing, and a few check swings against Cam Schlittler seem to be what did him in again.
The Red Sox sent Anthony for imaging on his hand and the results are worse than anyone could've expected. Scans revealed that he re-triggered his previous injury, as well as new damage to muscles in his wrist, according to manager Chad Tracy.
It's safe to say that Anthony won't return to play this year, so Boston has petitioned MLB to replace him on the Wild Card roster. According to Tracy, the team is deciding between Anthony Seigler and Curtis Mead as the replacement. The Red Sox have already dropped their starting lineup for Game 2 and neither player is in it.
Red Sox petition to replace Roman Anthony on Wild Card roster, considering Anthony Seigler or Curtis Mead
Seigler quickly grew into a fan favorite during his tenure in the major leagues this season. He slashed .247/.327/.400 over 49 games with the Red Sox, most of which came during their summer hot streak. Seigler has a personality similar to Payton Tolle's — he's an emotional, electric player who knows how to rile his teammates up at the right time. His attitude alone would be a great addition to the Sox's playoff roster.
The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals at the trade deadline and he lasted just two at bats before he was hit by a pitch, which fractured his wrist. Mead has been rehabbing since late July, and there was a slight chance that he would make Boston's original Wild Card roster.
If the Red Sox want to bring more pop to their lineup in Anthony's former spot, Mead should be their pick. He slashed .253/.353/.498 with 17 doubles and 17 home runs in 87 games with the Nats earlier this season. However, there is some risk in activating someone who hasn't played since July. He hasn't faced live pitching consistently in some time and throwing him into the fire against Max Fried is dangerous.
Still, the Sox need someone to replace Anthony. Seigler and Mead are both intriguing options and whichever one the Red Sox choose will bring something valuable to the team, either a gutsy attitude or power.
But the latest Anthony news is a gut punch. He's hurt his hand on a few swings already in his young career and all Red Sox fans want is to see him thrive. This was not his year and he won't get his moment in the playoffs. Hopefully he can be ready for next season, whenever it starts.
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