Despite several splash moves this past offseason, the Boston Red Sox are falling behind in the AL East. The team has lost five straight, putting them 9.5 games behind the New York Yankees. Alex Bregman went down with a significant injury last week, and it feels like this ballclub desperately needs a spark. Luckily, there’s one guy in AAA who can get this team rolling.
Roman Anthony is Ready
It’s time to call the #1 prospect in baseball up to the big leagues. Roman Anthony has done everything he’s needed to in the minors, and the Sox need him now. You could even make the argument that he should have been on the opening day roster. In 49 games this season, Anthony’s OPS is just below 1.000, and his average exit velocity of 95.6 MPH is 97th percentile in AAA. His 60-grade hitting and power tools are on display every night, and at this point, he has nothing left to prove.
Why Hasn’t He Been Called Up?
The primary reason that he hasn’t been called up is that there isn’t an everyday starting spot for him. The Red Sox’s current outfield consists of Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddanne Rafaela. Duran and Abreu have both played well this season and are presumed to be in the Sox’s plans for years to come. Duran is coming off of back-to-back seasons with an OPS over .800, 58 combined stolen bases, and solid defense. Meanwhile, Abreu is an excellent right fielder and currently holds a .841 OPS.
Rafaela, on the other hand, has struggled at the plate so far with a .639 OPS. The thing is, the Red Sox still really value Rafaela due to his baserunning and fielding, which rank 98th and 99th percentile in run value. Furthermore, his expected numbers show that he’s getting extremely unlucky. His xOPS is at a .801, an absurd 162 points above his actual numbers. It’s not fair to give up on Rafaela yet.
Is there a Path for Anthony?
The Red Sox can still make it work and get both guys every day at-bats. MLB.com‘s Ian Browne recently broke down a way for Boston to get both Anthony and Rafaela consistent playing time.
“[Rafaela] is also versatile in that he can play second base, shortstop and third base,” stated Browne. “Moreover, the Sox have another outfielder fully capable of playing center in Duran. With Campbell ready to start getting some game reps at first, that could open up some time at second base for Rafaela, though David Hamilton will get time there as well. There is also a path for Rafaela to get at-bats at shortstop, with Trevor Story in the most prolonged offensive slump of his career.”
While the Sox would be missing Rafaela’s defense in center, his positional flexibility can still keep him in the lineup. The bottom line is that the Red Sox need an offensive upgrade, and that upgrade is clearly Roman Anthony.
If this team has any desire to make a playoff push, Anthony must be a focal part of it.
Red Sox Must Call Up the #1 Prospect in Baseball