Red Sox

Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony scratched from Monday’s game due to back tightness

"Already definitely trending in the right direction and feeling better than where it was at earlier."

Roman Anthony was scratched on Monday due to back tightness. Matthew J Lee/The Boston Globe

By Conor Ryan

August 4, 2025

2 minutes to read

The Red Sox secured their sixth straight win on Monday by defeating the Kansas City Royals, 8-5.

But, a Boston club that has been a roll over the last week received some bad news just ahead of first pitch.

Roman Anthony — who was originally slated to bat third in Boston’s lineup on Monday as the team’s right fielder — was scratched just before the start of the game. Boston later announced that the promising rookie outfielder was taken out of action due to “mid-back tightness.”

NESN cameras caught Anthony appearing to grimace while stretching just ahead of first pitch, while Red Sox manager Alex Cora made his way from the dugout to inform the umpires about the lineup reshuffle just before the game began.

Here's the video of Roman Anthony calling for the trainer before the game. pic.twitter.com/xZuJJ8CMXD
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) August 4, 2025

“Felt something as I was stretching on the line,” Anthony said postgame. “Just figured we’d be cautious with it. Just was super uncomfortable and just relayed that quickly and just decided we were going to shut it down. … It was super sudden.”

With Anthony sidelined on Monday, the Red Sox slotted in Wilyer Abreu as the team’s right fielder. Despite struggling this season against left-handed pitching, Abreu went 2-for-3 at the plate as the team’s No. 3 hitter with an RBI — while also recording a critical outfield assist that snuffed out a Royals rally in the eighth.

Wilyer Abreu on the money 🎯 pic.twitter.com/zhSkanW0JE
— MLB (@MLB) August 5, 2025

Speaking after Monday’s victory, Cora said that Anthony will not require an IL stint, but the team will also sit him for Tuesday’s rematch against Kansas City.

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

Anthony has been as advertised as one of the top young players in baseball since getting called up to the big leagues in June.

In 46 games with Boston so far this season, Anthony is batting .283 with two home runs, 15 doubles, and 19 RBI. Anthony’s plate discipline has been a difference maker in the heart of Boston’s lineup, as he ranks third in pitches per plate appearance (4.16) across baseball since his debut on June 9.

Anthony started all three games against the Astros over the weekend during Boston’s three-game sweep, batting .333 with a double and RBI that secured the Red Sox’s walk-off win on Friday night.