Pressure is one of the biggest constants in any sport, and baseball might see a bit more than most. But in Boston, players hardly ever grow into pressure as they inherit it the moment they set foot. Roman Anthony is facing an immense challenge in his young career. And now an analyst considers the weight of filling in the shoes of a franchise legend unfair on the youngster. 

“We can’t expect Roman Anthony to be David Ortiz,” Ken Rosenthal voiced his concern for the pressure in Boston. “But in my opinion, they’re kind of asking him, the franchise is, to be that kind of player, that kind of impact because of what they put around him.”

21-year-old Anthony is widely regarded as baseball’s top prospect. But the Red Sox aren’t satisfied with just that. They want Anthony to take on bigger roles and achieve immediate success. The Red Sox are looking for a cornerstone in their roster through him.

“They traded Devers to open up a spot for Bregman. Then they lost Bregman in free agency, and they never really replaced that veteran presence,” said Rosenthal.

29-year-old Rafael Devers was a key player who helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series in his second year. Boston awarded him with a career extension with a 10-year, $313.5 million deal in 2023. But after a highly publicized dispute with Craig Breslow, he was traded to the Giants in June 2025.

Alex Bregman was expected to take on the leading role following Devers’ departure, but the veteran exercised the player opt-out after just one season with the Sox and signed a five-year, $175 million deal with the Cubs. Boston is now left without a seasoned player to take on the leadership role and sees Anthony as the perfect piece. 

This is exactly what Rosenthal is not a fan of. 

Anthony showed excellent plate discipline in his rookie year, averaging .292 with 8 HRs and 32 RBIs in just 71 games. 2026 preseason projections showed him to be a high-average hitter with 18-22 home runs. But the glimpses of the mounting pressure affecting his performance are already evident.

In the March 28 game against the Reds, Anthony used up the ABS challenges in the third inning. Anthony first successfully challenged a strike call on a 2-1 count. However, on the very next pitch on a 3-1 count, he challenged another strike call, but this time unsuccessfully, and because the Red Sox had already lost their first, Anthony’s failed challenge left them with zero challenges.

While it seemed like he was trying to extend his at-bats and influence his outcomes, his decision earned him solid criticism. He later admitted the mistake, showing accountability.

“Not a good time to challenge,” said Anthony. “Wasting it there doesn’t help anything. So I’ve got to do better on my end to just not get overly aggressive and be absolutely sure. The situation on 3-1 didn’t call for it, so [it was] stupid on my end, and it won’t happen again.”

Even with the right mindset, the underlying pressure was visible. 

The front office is well aware of his superstar potential and has already created some hype around him. But expecting him to deliver Ortiz-like production this early might be asking too much of him. 

David Ortiz was an exceptional slugger who anchored the franchise in three World Series wins. Big Papi is a Hall of Famer who was famous for his regular-season walk-offs and postseason HRs. Rather than a comparison, it feels more like an impossible benchmark for someone who has yet to play a full season. 

Nobody is arguing about Roman Anthony having real talent. And he has a strong mindset as well. Hence, Rosenthal’s concern isn’t exaggerated; it’s structural. Unfortunately, the Red Sox are infamous for putting pressure too early. 

Boston’s history shows how quickly expectations around Anthony can outpace development

Ken Rosenthal emphasized huge expectations from the youngsters in the Red Sox roster, saying, “There’s always pressure in Boston.” But this is nothing new. 

Blake Swihart was picked in the first round of the 2011 draft as a top catching prospect. He debuted in 2015, but due to a backlog of catchers, he was moved to left field and suffered a severe injury. Fingers point toward the franchise’s mismanagement as he never fully regained his form and was unable to justify the huge expectations. 

Lars Anderson was another top prospect during 2009 who recorded a .167 AVG despite being hyped as a power-hitter. He couldn’t translate into the slugger he was meant to be, and he ultimately retired from high-level baseball in his mid-20s. Later, he reflected on the mental grind and the pressure.

There are plenty of other examples involving Craig Hansen, Henry Owens, and Michael Chavis, among others. Roman Anthony is going through the same drill while fans and the franchise shove much bigger responsibilities on him. 

Boston has already declared the expectations for the 21-year-old. As Anthony’s situation fits a familiar circle, Rosenthal has raised the right questions. It’s not about having enough talent or the right mindset. It is about whether the Boston Red Sox are again asking too much and too early.