Just two months into his MLB career, Roman Anthony has shown the Boston Red Sox, fans and media across baseball that he's worth the years of hype behind his name.
Anthony is slashing .286/.406/.451 in his first 52 games in the big leagues, already with plenty of signature moments for his highlight reel. His first career walk-off came at Fenway Park in their newest lucky green uniforms and he's found his home run swing with two long balls in consecutive games against the Astros.
Anthony's eye for the strike zone may be one of the most impressive parts of his game, and he's already aligning himself with Ted Williams in the Red Sox history books. Anthony walked four times and homered on August 12 against the Astros, becoming the first Boston hitter to do so since Kyle Schwarber on August 26, 2021. He also became the second youngest player in Red Sox history to do so, behind Williams. He's also the first Sox player since Williams to post 20 or more extra base hits and 20 or more walks in their first 51 games in the big leagues, according to NESN.
After a brief adjustment to the big leagues immediately following his call-up, Anthony has been one of the best hitters in the game. He's slashing .325/.445/.508 with a .954 OPS since July 1, and his torrid streak has shot him up the American League Rookie of the Year poll.
Roman Anthony surges up Rookie of the Year rankings, makes Red Sox history alongside Ted Williams
Players to rank 95th percentile or better in hard-hit % and chase % in 2025?
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 12, 2025
Juan Soto and Roman Anthony.@markdero7 dives in on Roman Anthony's immediate impact for the @RedSox on #MLBCentral. pic.twitter.com/IODsGnfBAW
In MLB's latest estimations, Anthony ranks third in the AL ROY race behind Athletics Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson. Wilson was formerly the leader before Kurtz overtook him — his promotion is well earned after he posted possibly the best offensive performance in MLB history on July 25, when he went 6-for-6 with four homers and a double. Wilson has been on the shelf since late July when he was hit by a pitch on his forearm, so Anthony could be in second place soon enough.
If Anthony reaches first or second place by the end of the ROY race, it will change his contract with the Red Sox years down the line. Anthony on August 6 signed an eight-year, $130 million deal with the Red Sox, which can reach up to $230 million through multiple escalators. If he passes Wilson or Kurtz, he'll earn an extra $1 million to his salary in 2032 or '33.
Anthony was called up months after both Wilson and Kurtz, so beating either of them in the race could be an uphill battle. But his first two months in MLB have shown he may be the only rookie in this year's class who has a chance.