A routine swing from a Red Sox youngster turned out to be adverse for the franchise. Although the initial signs reflected relief, there might be some alarming updates for the club. Roman Anthony might not be returning soon.

“Unclear exactly what part of the wrist Roman Anthony injured, but if I had to guess, it’s either a ‘Hook of Hamate fracture’ or ‘ECU tendon subluxation,’” sports medicine and regenerative expert Jesse Morse tweeted on Monday night.

The Red Sox are visiting Detroit this week, and they had an incident on May 4. Anthony fouled a 92-mph pitch from the Tigers starter Tyler Holton in the first inning. Right after the swing, the 21–year-old was seen flexing his right arm. The interim manager, Chad Tracy, and the head athletic trainer, Brandon Henry, came to the ground to check on him.

Anthony took a few practice swings and decided to continue his at-bats. He even ran the bases and came back to the field in the bottom of the same inning. However, his “right wrist discomfort” was too much to continue, as Masataka Yoshida replaced him at the bottom of the second inning.

After the immediate X-rays came back negative, the Red Sox nation breathed a sigh of relief. But the franchise didn’t want to take any chances. They sent him back to Boston, where the hand expert will take a look and offer his verdict.

In the meantime, M.D. Jesse Morse offered his opinion on social media regarding the injury. Unfortunately, he pointed out that either of the possible injuries to his wrist will require 6+ weeks of recovery. Although he hoped that Anthony had neither of the cases he suspects, the Sox fans are waiting for Boston’s hand expert to deliver some definite good news. 

After he was pulled, Roman Anthony said, “I just took a swing, and it didn’t feel good. As I came back in and went under to continue to swing, it just was painful.” 

“As far as X-rays being negative — or looking negative — I’m not exactly sure how an X-ray works, but that’s a good sign for sure,” he added.

He will be in Boston in the morning for an MRI. Manager Tracy is also leaning toward the positives here. He hasn’t ruled out Anthony joining them back for the remaining Detroit games. Yet they are being cautious with the young player. But the doctor’s post has certainly cast a cloud of worry over the Red Sox. 

The Red Sox have little margin of error with Roman Anthony

Boston has been going through a tumultuous time. On April 25, they fired Alex Cora, the manager with the highest winning percentage for the franchise. Currently, the Red Sox have a record of 14-21 as they are still stuck at the bottom of the AL East. 

Under Chad Tracy, Boston has won five games and lost four since the firing of their last manager. While this looks like a slight recovery, the momentum is still fragile. That’s why losing a cornerstone piece of their outfield for two months would be a devastating blow. 

Boston’s decision to let Alex Bregman walk as a free agent still left many of the fans bitter. The organization essentially asked Anthony, a 21-year-old, to help fill the void in offensive production left behind by Bregman’s 18 home runs and .822 OPS in 2025. Needless to say, his bat hasn’t been able to replicate that. Anthony has a .229 AVG this season and has scored 12 runs with one HR from 109 at-bats. 

However, the Boston fans still see him as a high-upside player. Anthony’s .280 AVG and .920 OPS in the WBC are enough to support that claim. He also became the youngest American to hit a WBC home run. But his injuries are still concerning. He suffered a left oblique strain in early September 2025 that sidelined him for the final month, including the postseason. His upper back issue from April 22 this year kept him out for two games.

And on top of this, the Red Sox have 10 players on the injury list. 

But injury isn’t the only issue. Several key hitters are underperforming this year. Jarren Duran has a .203 AVG, while Trevor Story shows a record of .207. The latter’s .243 OBP is among the lowest for starters this season. Third baseman Caleb Durbin has a batting average of .165 from 109 at-bats in 2026

This is why the Red Sox can’t afford to rush Roman Anthony. They were quick to send him back to Boston for an MRI to make sure the discomfort doesn’t develop into something worse. But the doctor’s words already have the fans worried.