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Roman Anthony

Roman Anthony Out 4-6 Weeks

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Boston rookie outfielder Roman Anthony was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain and is expected to miss four to six weeks, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told WEEI Radio.

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Anthony grabbed his back after he struck out in the fourth inning of Boston’s 11-7 triumph over Cleveland (68-69) on Tuesday. He was replaced in right field by Nate Eaton in the top of the fifth by the Red Sox (78-62).

“He’s going on the IL. He has an oblique strain,” Cora said Wednesday. “Timetable, we don’t know… Usually takes from 4-6 weeks.”

The left-handed-hitting Anthony said he first felt discomfort during a check swing earlier in the at-bat.

“Pretty sudden,” he said after Tuesday’s game. “I’m hoping for the best and staying positive, but any time I’m not out there, I’m pretty (angry). It (stinks).”

Anthony was named the American League Rookie of the Month for August on Wednesday morning.

He has been one of Boston’s most productive offensive players since he was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on June 9. He’s batting .292 with a .396 on-base percentage and a .463 slugging percentage in 71 games with the Red Sox. He has eight home runs, 18 doubles, 32 RBIs and 48 runs.

The Red Sox already are down one outfielder; Wilyer Abreu has been on the injured list since Aug. 21, retroactive to Aug. 18, with a right calf strain.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Out-Slug Guardians

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox broke open a tie game by scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning en route to an 11-7 victory over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night.

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Alex Bregman’s RBI single handed the Red Sox (78-62) an 8-7 lead. Jarren Duran followed with an RBI double and then Trevor Story added a two-run double. Three of the four runs were charged to Cade Smith, who allowed four hits and didn’t retire a batter.

Cleveland’s Hunter Gaddis (1-2) pitched one inning and allowed one run before giving way to Smith.

Nathaniel Lowe (No. 18) and Ceddanne Rafaela (No. 16) homered for Boston, which has won three in a row.

Cleveland (68-69) received solo home runs from Jhonkensy Noel (No. 3) and Austin Hedges (No. 4), a two-run home run from David Fry (No. 7) and a three-run home run from Brayan Rocchio (No. 4). All four home runs were hit off Boston starter Garrett Crochet, who allowed seven runs on nine hits in six innings.

Noel’s home run opened the scoring in the second. Boston strung together six straight hits in the bottom of the inning, when it took a 4-1 lead. The inning featured an RBI single by Romy Gonzalez, a two-run single by Rafaela and an RBI single by Roman Anthony.

Three of Cleveland’s four home runs came in the top of the sixth, when the Guardians scored six runs to take a 7-5 lead. Hedges’ home run made it 5-2, Fry’s two-run shot pulled the Guardians within a run and Rocchio’s three-run home run put the Guardians in front 7-5.

Rafaela tied the game by hitting a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth.

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Anthony left the game after he struck out in the fourth inning. He grabbed his back and went straight to the clubhouse, and Nate Eaton replaced him in right field. The Red Sox said Anthony exited with left oblique tightness.

–Field Level Media

Roman Not Built in a Day

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox may be without rookie outfielder Roman Anthony tonight when they conclude a three-game series against the visiting Cleveland Guardians.

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Anthony grabbed his back after he struck out in the fourth inning of Boston’s 11-7 triumph over Cleveland (68-69) on Tuesday. He was replaced in right field by Nate Eaton in the top of the fifth by the Red Sox (78-62).

“Left oblique tightness,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He’ll have an MRI (Wednesday), so we’ll know more during the day. Sore. He’s sore.”

Anthony said he first felt discomfort during a check-swing earlier in the at-bat.

“Pretty sudden,” he said. “I’m hoping for the best and staying positive, but any time I’m not out there, I’m pretty (angry). It (stinks).”

Anthony has been one of Boston’s most productive offensive players since he was recalled from Triple-A Worcester on June 9. He’s batting .292 with a .396 on-base percentage and a .463 slugging percentage in 71 games with the Red Sox. He has eight home runs, 18 doubles, 32 RBIs and 48 runs.

The Red Sox already are down one outfielder; Wilyer Abreu has been on the injured list since Aug. 21 with a calf strain.

Boston moved a season-high 16 games over the .500 mark on Tuesday by winning its third straight game.

Despite hitting four home runs, Cleveland lost its third consecutive game.

The Red Sox, who will seek a series sweep on Wednesday, hold the second wild-card spot in the American League, and the Guardians are four games behind the Seattle Mariners in the race for the third and final berth.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said his team will employ a six-man rotation for the foreseeable future in an attempt to make a late playoff push.

Cleveland will start left-hander Joey Cantillo (3-3, 3.93 ERA) in Wednesday’s series finale. He’ll be joined in the rotation by Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Slade Cecconi, Logan Allen and Parker Messick.

“We’re going to go with the six-man rotation for a little while,” Vogt said. “Just with the starting pitching, where they are innings-wise and where they are in their career. And we have 24 games in 24 days, so we thought it was a good opportunity for us to get them … they’ll all be on five days’ rest throughout this long process.”

Cecconi and Williams already have passed their respective career highs in innings pitched.

Cantillo’s only career appearance against the Red Sox came in relief on April 27. He allowed three runs (two earned) on one hit in two innings and did not factor in the decision in Cleveland’s 13-3 loss.

Left-hander Brennan Bernardino (4-2, 3.08) is scheduled to start what likely will be a bullpen game for Boston today. Bernardino, who pitched a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday, is 1-2 with a 1.54 ERA in 11 career appearances (one start) against Cleveland.

Cora said before Tuesday’s game that rookie Payton Tolle will start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday and Dustin May will make a temporary move to the bullpen.

“(May will) start again next week,” Cora said. “So we’re just moving pieces right now.

“(Wednesday) we might have a bullpen day, and (May is) part of it. And then if he doesn’t pitch in the bullpen this week, it’s going to be 10 days in between starts. So we’re not going to do that to him.”

–Field Level Media

 

Roman Pockets “A Whole Lotta Lira”

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – When in Rome, spend on the Romans. Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony and the Sox organization are finalizing an eight-year, $130 million contract extension, according to multiple media accounts all reporting on Wednesday.

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The deal is pending a physical, includes a club option and will keep Anthony in Boston through the 2034 season. Anthony was nursing a sore back in the past two days, but not a serious injury.

Anthony, 21, created a buzz before he suited up with the Red Sox by launching a 497-foot grand slam for Triple-A Worcester on June 7. Called up to Boston two days after that blast, Anthony is batting .283 with two homers, 15 doubles and 19 RBIs in 46 games with the Red Sox. He has hit safely in each of his last eight games, however he has been idle since Sunday due to the back tightness issue.

Anthony was selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft.

–Field Level Media

Big Innings Fuel Red Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) The Boston Red Sox will attempt to extend their winning streak to seven games when they face the visiting Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.

Boston opened the three-game series with an 8-5 victory on Monday. The Red Sox scored five runs in the first inning after scoring six times in the fourth of a 6-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

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“We’re not chasing as much, we’re not striking out,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We’re putting the ball in play. We’re running the bases extremely well, too. … We’ve been really good the past three weeks baserunning-wise, and that puts pressure on the opposition.”

Boston particularly has been tough at home. The Monday victory gave the Red Sox 13 wins in their past 14 games at Fenway Park.

“When we’re rolling, this place is another weapon for us, so it’s just been awesome to see the fans get behind us and help us with this push,” said Boston’s Jarren Duran, who hit a three-run homer in the first inning off Royals starter Bailey Falter.

“I think we just have to keep our heads down and keep working, because I feel like that’s what we’ve been doing all year and it’s showing.”

After Kansas City scored four runs in the eighth to make it an 8-5 game, Nick Loftin ran through his coach’s third base stop sign and was thrown out at the plate for the final out of the inning. Had Loftin stayed at third, the Royals would have had the bases loaded with Vinnie Pasquantino at the plate. Pasquantino homered earlier in the frame.

“I talked to him in the dugout,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said of Loftin. “You gotta understand the game situation at that point. He’s trying to be aggressive. He probably got a little carried away knowing there were two outs.

“Normally you would take chances with two outs, but when you’re down by three and you’re getting the go-ahead run to the plate right there, you gotta stay at third. It’s a mental mistake and he won’t make that again.”

Boston won’t have outfielder Roman Anthony in the lineup on Tuesday. Anthony was a late scratch Monday due to back tightness, and Cora said he planned to rest the rookie on Tuesday.

“Everything felt normal all day and I felt something as I was stretching on the line,” Anthony said. “Just figured we’d be cautious with it and was super uncomfortable. I relayed that quickly, and we decided we were going to shut it down.

“I’ll get with the training staff and figure that out, but I’m already definitely trending in the right direction and feeling better than it was earlier.”

The Red Sox appear to be in a good position to build on their winning streak since left-hander Garrett Crochet (12-4, 2.23 ERA) — Boston’s ace — is scheduled to start on Tuesday.

Crochet is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA in eight career appearances (two starts) against the Royals. He won at Kansas City on May 10 after throwing seven innings of one-run ball and striking out nine.

Rookie right-hander Ryan Bergert (1-0, 2.78) is scheduled to make his Royals debut. Bergert, who was acquired from the San Diego Padres just before the trade deadline last week, will be making his first career appearance against Boston.

Bergert made 11 appearances (seven starts) for the Padres this season, and he recorded 34 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

 

Sox Call Up Roman Anthony

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) -First, it was infielder/utility man Kristian Campbell. Next, was infielder Marcelo Mayer. Today, it was the third amigo in outfielder Roman Anthony, touted as the No. 1 prospect in Major League Baseball.

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The Boston Red Sox called up Anthony from Triple-A Worcester ahead of tonight’s home game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Anthony will start in right field and bat fifth for the Red Sox tonight. The left-handed hitter takes the spot that belonged to Wilyer Abreu, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain.

Anthony, the team’s second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, forged a .288/.423/.491 slash line in 58 games for Worcester this season. He posted 10 homers and 29 RBIs in 265 plate appearances — highlighted by a grand slam on Saturday that flew well over the right-center wall and was estimated at 497 feet.

“We’re trying to win ballgames,” said Red Sox manager Alex Cora. “The kid has done an amazing job throughout (prospect development) getting ready for this moment. We’re excited. It’s a big day for the organization … we’ll use him the right way and we’ll help him with the adjustments that comes with being a big-leaguer.”

The Red Sox (32-35) now have elevated all three of their elite hitting prospects to the bigs. Second baseman/outfielder Campbell broke spring training with Boston and, after a red-hot start, has settled in with a .233 average, six homers and 20 RBIs in 58 games.

Mayer was called up two weeks ago when third basemen Alex Bregman went on the injured list with a quadriceps issue. Installed at third base where he had little experience, Mayer has posted a .222/.282/.361 slash line with one homer and two errors in 12 games.

Abreu ranks second on the Red Sox with 13 homers, complementing a .245 batting average with 32 RBIs.

–Field Level Media