The Boston Red Sox reached the postseason for the first time since 2021 last season, winning 89 games and securing the second American League Wild Card spot before losing in the first round to the New York Yankees.
They lost Alex Bregman in free agency but added players such as Sonny Gray, Willson Contreras, Caleb Durbin and Ranger Suarez. But in order to make it back to the postseason, those additions will have to give them the spark they seek in a crowded AL East.
The players they already had will also have to step up. Last season, outfielder Roman Anthony burst onto the scene, and while he ended up suffering an injury and missing the playoff run, he still gave Boston a jolt down the stretch.
Jeff Passan of ESPN listed players that each team’s season hinges on, and for Boston, it was Anthony who was listed.
“Nobody on the Red Sox roster can match Anthony’s ceiling — and constant work in Boston’s batting cages has helped him elevate the ball more consistently,” Passan wrote. “Should that translate into the regular season, the Red Sox are looking at an MVP contender.
At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Anthony is a physical specimen who also understands how to draw walks and frustrate pitchers with his almost laser-like sense of the strike zone. If Anthony is good, the Red Sox will be good. If Anthony is great, Boston’s ceiling is limitless.”
Roman Anthony Could Be Boston Red Sox’s X-Factor
Anthony only played in 71 games last year before his season was cut short. However, he made the most of that brief amount of time. The 21-year-old outfielder posted a 3.1 WAR and slashed .292/.396/.463 with eight home runs, 32 RBI, an .859 OPS and a 140 OPS+.
If he can stay healthy, then the Red Sox truly have a superstar on their hands. He brings power from the left side of the plate and can play all three outfield positions. He brings a lot of versatility to the table as well.
The Red Sox even gave Anthony an eight-year, $130 million contract extension at the beginning of August last season. That deal can also reach $230 million with incentives.
Anthony is still young, but now is a good time for him to prove that he is worth every penny of the extension the Red Sox gave him last summer. If he can do that, then the Red Sox could be a very dangerous team in the American League this year and challenge the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays for the top spot.
2026 is Pivotal for Anthony
The injuries late in the season slowed him down, so Anthony will also need to prove that he can stay off the injured list and be a consistent force in the Red Sox’s lineup. But there is real potential for him to be an MVP caliber player for years to come.
Anthony could be the next superstar drafted and developed by the Red Sox, but he may in fact be the X-factor in determining where Boston ends up at the end of 2026.
Boston Red Sox Roman Anthony Could Be Key to 2026 Success