Boston Red Sox
Roman Anthony was sent back to Boston after Tuesday’s Game 1 loss to the Yankees — and will be out through at least the ALDS.
Roman Anthony’s career in Boston has been rife with injuries. Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
September 30, 2026 | 4:57 PM
3 minutes to read
With their season hanging in the balance, the Red Sox will be without one of their top young players in their lineup for the rest of their Wild Card series against the New York Yankees.
Roman Anthony — who had to exit Boston’s 9-0 Game 1 loss at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday because of hand discomfort — is absent from the Red Sox’ batting order for Game 2, further hurting a team already on the ropes against its most-hated rival.
And even if Boston extends its season beyond Wednesday, it remains to be seen when exactly Anthony will rejoin the team.
Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s game in New York, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy confirmed that additional testing revealed new issues in Anthony’s ailing hand — prompting Boston to remove him from the roster.
“Sore,” Tracy said of Anthony’s status on Wednesday afternoon. “He was sent back last night after leaving the game. We sent him back to Boston for extra, additional imaging which actually revealed some new strains to different muscles in his wrist in addition to exasperating the old injuries. It’s not great.
“I know there’s enough there, and enough new stuff there, where [Anthony] is not gonna be able to play,” Tracy added. “There’s enough there that we know that if we make this move, we’re not only going to miss him now, but also for this next series. We’re pretty confident in that to be able to submit paperwork.”
MLB approved a playoff roster substitution for Boston on Wednesday evening, with Curtis Mead replacing Anthony — which rules Anthony out for at least the ALDS should Boston advance to the next round.
Today @MLB has approved a roster substitution due to an injury to @RedSox outfielder Roman Anthony, who will be replaced by Curtis Mead for the remainder of their AL Wild Card Series vs. the @Yankees. By rule, Anthony will be ineligible for the ALDS should the Red Sox qualify.
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) September 30, 2026
With Anthony sidelined for Game 2, Nate Eaton will start in left field and bat ninth, while Jarren Duran is also sitting to open Wednesday’s game against Yankees southpaw Max Fried.
Jahmai Jones, who has thrived this season as a platoon hitter when matched up against lefties, is slotted in as the leadoff hitter and will be Boston’s DH.
It’s a brutal setback for both the Red Sox and Anthony, who has missed a majority of the 2026 season due to a right hand injury. He initially tore a ligament in his right ring finger while holding on a check swing on May 4 and did not return to Boston’s lineup until Aug. 29, missing 101 games in the process.
Anthony appeared to reaggravate that hand while trying to hold his swing in Boston’s regular-season finale against the Cubs in Tampa on Sunday.
Tracy noted in New York that Anthony has dealt with soreness in that hand some coming back, although the pain usually subsided the following day.
“He has had check-swings throughout this process, since coming back off of it, that irritated [his hand],” Tracy said. “It’s happened numerous times. Those happen where typically, by the next day, it was feeling fine. That’s happened since September started and he was coming back from all this stuff and doing it. There’s swings that do that to it, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we were overly concerned about it.”
The 22-year-old outfielder labored in Tuesday’s game in the Bronx, striking out twice in his two at-bats against Cam Schlittler and struggling to check his swing against New York’s ace. He was pulled in the top of the sixth inning.
“He took a check-swing and then another swing and his hand flared on him,” Tracy said postgame. “And it got uncomfortable, so we had to make a move there.”
Anthony’s promising career with Boston has been rife with injuries — as he missed the final month-plus of the 2025 campaign due to an oblique strain that kept him out of Boston’s three-game Wild-Card series against New York.
“It’s grinding on him, for sure,” Tracy said. “He’s upset. He wants to be out there with the guys. Obviously, everything he’s gone through this year, dealing with these different things, it’s tough for him.
“There’s no question from anybody on our side of things. We love the kid, love the player. Fantastic player. He’s just dealt with hardships this year, and this is the next in line of that. But he wants to be out there with the guys, and he would if he could.”
Here is a look at the Red Sox’ lineup for Game 2 — where a loss to New York would mean yet another disheartening end to Boston’s season. Sonny Gray will get the start for Boston.
- Jahmai Jones DH
- Adley Rutschman C
- Willson Contreras 1B
- Wilyer Abreu RF
- Ceddanne Rafaela CF
- Caleb Durbin 3B
- Nick Sogard 2B
- Trevor Story SS
- Nate Eaton LF
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
