Red Sox Opening Day Lineup Predicted By Bleacher Report

On Friday, Bleacher Report’s MLB writer Joel Reuter predicted what the Boston Red Sox‘s lineup will look like on Opening Day.

“Projected Lineup,” wrote Reuter.

“LF Roman Anthony
SS Trevor Story
DH Jarren Duran
1B Willson Contreras
RF Wilyer Abreu
C Carlos Narváez
3B Marcelo Mayer
2B Romy González
CF Ceddanne Rafaela.”

Reuter also provided some context.

“There is still a chance the Red Sox will pivot to Eugenio Suárez after failing to re-sign Alex Bregman, but he has other suitors, and steering clear would allow Marcelo Mayer to remain at the hot corner where he fits best defensively,” he wrote. “Assuming they stick to wanting to use Ceddanne Rafaela exclusively in the outfield, that leaves Romy González as the leading candidate for second base duties.”

Headlining Boston’s lineup is the phenom Anthony, who turns 22 in May.

Anthony’s 2025 MLB season marked an impressive debut for the former top prospect, who arrived in the majors on June 9 after a strong Triple-A stint. Anthony quickly adjusted, delivering a solid rookie campaign in 71 games and 303 plate appearances.

He posted a .292 batting average, .396 on-base percentage, and .463 slugging percentage, resulting in an .859 OPS and 140 OPS+. Anthony drove in 32 runs, scored 48 times, and added eight home runs with 18 doubles and four stolen bases. His plate discipline stood out with 40 walks against 84 strikeouts, and advanced metrics showed strong contact quality, including a 94.5 mph average exit velocity and 60.3 percent hard-hit rate.

After a gradual start, Anthony surged, performing among the league’s top hitters in the middle stretch of his playing time, contributing to Boston’s push. He played primarily in right field and left field, plus some DH duties, and handled himself well defensively.

A left oblique strain sidelined him starting September 3, cutting his season short and keeping him out for the final stretch. Despite the injury, Anthony finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting, earned recognition on top rookies lists into early 2026, and secured an eight-year, $130 million extension with the Red Sox in August, cementing his role as a cornerstone.