On a summer night in Kansas City back in the mid-2000s, a wiry kid named Jonathan Papelbon took the mound for a spot start. No one in the stands had heard of him. Even his teammates, including Kevin Millar, barely knew his name. But by the end of the 2006 season, Papelbon was a household name, a rookie closer who helped anchor the Red Sox bullpen.

It’s that kind of unexpected, energizing spark Millar believes Boston desperately needs again. And this time, the spotlight isn’t on an unknown reliever; it’s on a rising star in Triple-A.

Enter Roman Anthony. The 20-year-old outfield phenom has been tearing up Worcester, posting an OPS north of .900 while showing off a left-handed swing built for Fenway. His absence from the WooSox lineup this week immediately raised eyebrows and sparked speculation that a promotion to the big club might be imminent.

With the Red Sox stumbling and Jarren Duran caught in trade rumors, Kevin Millar has seen enough, and he’s calling for a jolt of energy from within the system. “Roman Anthony might hit fourth for the Red Sox for the next 15 years, but let’s get him up here and see,” he said in a recent broadcast. “We need a little spark, let’s do it.”

That spark could come at a cost. Duran, Boston’s All-Star outfielder in 2024, has seen his production dip slightly in 2025, and his name has surfaced in serious trade chatter, particularly with the Padres, who are looking for an outfield upgrade.

But Millar, who knows what it takes to win in Boston, isn’t giving up on Duran either. “This guy respects the game. This guy hustles every single night. He gives you everything,” he said. “Even in struggles, that effort that care goes a long way in this city.”

So what should the Red Sox do? Ride out Duran’s funk, or cash in while his value is high? Promote Anthony and ignite a youthful surge, or play it safe and wait out the deadline? It’s a classic Boston baseball dilemma, caught between patience and panic, future and present.

But if Millar’s words carry any weight, and history suggests they do, a bold move might be the very thing this team needs. Roman Anthony is perhaps the need of the hour.

Roman Anthony under the microscope at 21

At just 21, Roman Anthony is a public obsession. Every swing, every stare, every silence gets analyzed like it’s Game 7 of the World Series. The pressure is relentless. Even harmless locker room pranks become headline fodder. For example when teammates stuffed him into a laundry cart and wheeled him to the team bus in Scranton. That moment turned into a minor social media storm.

This is what it means to be baseball’s top prospect in 2025. You don’t just perform, you navigate a public stage. Anthony’s name surfaces every time the Red Sox drop a game. His omission from the WooSox lineup triggers X meltdowns. But amid the noise, Anthony keeps his head.

“I’m a normal human being at the end of the day, I’m just a 21-year-old guy,” he said. He leans on clubhouse camaraderie and conversations with veterans to stay level. “Just hanging out with my teammates and meeting guys who have been through it before, just little things like that.”

Off the field, Anthony finds calm through connection. Regular calls to his inner circle back home help him maintain perspective. “It’s a little different when people have a different kind of perception of you as an athlete,” he explained. “I call my friends and family back home, and it’s super normal.”

In a place where the spotlight shines brightly most of the time, Anthony doesn’t attempt to dim it; he simply doesn’t let it overpower him. Will he find his way to the majors soon? What do you think?