Red Sox continue to get bad news on Roman Anthony’s recovery

Boston Red Sox

“It’s just been slower than I imagined.”

Roman Anthony has not played in a game for the Red Sox since May 4. Photo by Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff

As the Red Sox continue to flounder near the bottom of the American League, it doesn’t appear as though reinforcements are on the way for Boston’s lackluster roster.

​Speaking to Tim Healey of The Boston Globe on Wednesday, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy didn’t give an optimistic update on the status of Roman Anthony — who has been sidelined for close to two months due to a nagging wrist injury.

“Roman Anthony (sprained right wrist/hand) hasn’t made any substantive progress while the Red Sox have been away, Chad Tracy said,” Healey posted on X Wednesday afternoon. “He occasionally tries to swing a lighter bat but hasn’t gotten to a real bat/hitting progression.”

It’s another frustrating setback for the Red Sox and Anthony — who has struggled to make much in terms of progress after initially hurting his wrist on May 4 in Detroit.

Speaking at Fenway Park on June 13, Anthony acknowledged that he was still feeling discomfort in his wrist/hand while taking light swings.

“It’s progressing, progressing a lot slower than I’d imagined at the beginning of this, but definitely progressing, which is the biggest thing,” Anthony said (via the Boston Herald’s Mac Cerullo). “It’s just pain, that’s what it was and until it’s not that I’ll be here, but as soon as it feels like it starts to get a whole lot better I’m sure we’ll have a better idea of where we’re at and how it’s going to go from here.”

“Obviously it’s not agonizing pain if we’re swinging at this point, but it’s enough pain to where we’re not doing more than the amount that we’re doing,” he added.

Initially, the expectation was that Anthony was only going to miss a little over a week due to his injury, which occurred after he fouled off a pitch on a check swing during a game against the Tigers.

“For me, where I stand right now, how it’s gone on and the way it’s felt over the last few days, when the IL stint is over, I plan to be in that game the next day,” Anthony told MLB.com’s Ian Browne in May.

Even before his prolonged injury, it’s been a frustrating season for the 22-year-old Anthony.

​In 30 games so far with the Red Sox this season, Anthony is slashing .229/.354/.321 with one home run and five RBI.​

Speaking to The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier last week, Anthony acknowledged that the only thing that he can do at this point is wait for the torn ligaments in his hand/wrist to heal — which usually takes between 8-12 weeks.

“We’re not to a point where we’re past a time where we’re like, ‘Oh [expletive], this is something more serious than what we thought,’ which is a good thing,” Anthony said. “But it’s also an annoying thing for me [not to have a timetable].”

“I’m doing everything I can in terms of recovery, sleep, and all the things that go into [recovery]. I’m putting my part into it. I’ve just got to let the body do its thing. It’s just been slower than I imagined.”

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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