The Boston Red Sox are entering the 2026 season looking to bounce back from their loss in the American League Wild Card Series to the New York Yankees. They have also lost Alex Bregman in free agency, so the team is going to look a little bit different.
However, the talk of the town in Boston is Roman Anthony, who has drawn rave reviews after a breakout 2025 season and has even been predicted to win his first AL MVP by some.
Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic made three bold predictions for the 2026 Red Sox season, and one of them was that Anthony will finish in the top three in the AL MVP race.
“Anthony, who turns 22 in May, has a chance to show for the first time what he’s capable of over the course of a full season,” McCaffrey wrote. “In 71 games last year, he hit .292 with an .859 OPS and eight homers before an oblique injury ended his rookie season early. Still, he finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting and worked this offseason to ensure the oblique issues are in the past. He is, without a doubt, the key to the Red Sox offense, which is why manager Alex Cora has him leading off. Finishing within the top three of AL MVP doesn’t even seem like a far-fetched prediction for Anthony at this point.”
Roman Anthony Could Have Big Year in 2026
Anthony came up to the major leagues in June last season and immediately burst onto the scene. The main key for him this season will be his health. If he can stay off the injured list, then he could be a real contender for an MVP this season.
That would also give the Red Sox a major boost offensively and help them remain in the thick of the AL East race. The division has gotten tougher this season, and Boston finished in third place in 2025.
Now that Bregman is gone and the Baltimore Orioles have had a busy offseason, the Red Sox are in a crowded race. But if Anthony picks up where he left off, the Red Sox should be just fine and should also have a clear shot to make it back to October.
Anthony simply needs to stay off the injured list and continue his early surge after the oblique injury ended his 2025 season. There is a lot of upside with the Red Sox’s slugger.
Anthony’s Path to MVP
The favorites to win the award this season will likely be Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh, but if Anthony stays healthy, he could be a true contender for the award. A top three finish at the very least doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch for a player with such a high ceiling, and that could ultimately allow the Red Sox to get back to where they hope to be in 2026.
Anthony will be an interesting player to watch as he tries to put his oblique injury behind him and prepare for another big year.
Boston Red Sox’s Roman Anthony Gets Another Exciting Projection