Roman Anthony has played 58 games for the Boston Red Sox since debuting on June 9, but he’s about to play his first games at Yankee Stadium.
The slumping Red Sox are counting on Anthony to help get back on track this weekend against the red-hot New York Yankees. Fortunately, Anthony’s been hot lately with multiple hits in three of his last four games.
The star rookie is in a much better place than he was when he first faced the Yankees in mid-June at Fenway Park. It was only his second series in the Major Leagues, and he was still adjusting at the plate. He went 0-for-5 with a walk and a strikeout in Boston’s three-game sweep of New York, although he only started one of those games.
Fast forward two months, and Anthony’s emerged as one of the best hitters in baseball. He hit his stride in late June and has been on fire ever since, becoming a sparkplug at the top of Alex Cora’s lineup.
The 21-year-old outfielder has been historically good, batting .283/.402/.434 with four home runs, 23 RBI, 38 runs and four steals. He’s drawn comparisons to MLB legends past and present, from Ted Williams to Juan Soto.
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Part of the reason is that he’s incredibly mature and focused for his age, which should help him handle the pressure of playing at Yankee Stadium for the first time. It helps that he recently signed an eight-year, $130 million contract extension, allowing him to focus on the present without worrying about the future.
While Anthony enjoys hitting at Fenway Park, he’s been even better on the road. Three of his four homers have come away from Fenway, and his OPS is 54 points higher (.864 vs. .810) on the road.
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Anthony wasn’t quite ready for his first taste of the rivalry, but he’s grown a lot over the last two months. He’s seeing and hitting the ball well, giving him the confidence he needs to make a statement in the Bronx this weekend.
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images
