The weekend before the Red Sox stunned the baseball world by trading Rafael Devers to the Giants felt like the spark fans had been waiting for all season. After a dull and unconvincing start, nothing ignited Fenway Park quite like a weekend sweep over their biggest rivals, the Yankees. “It sucks losing to the Red Sox. We never like that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone admitted after the fifth straight loss. But while frustration filled the visiting dugout, on the home side, one Red Sox rookie was soaking in what might have been the best on-field experience of his young career.

Boston’s rookie Roman Anthony is still processing his life as a major leaguer. Being part of an organization like Boston means the love of a passionate, loyal fan base that shows up with unwavering support. And few moments match the way Red Sox fans come alive, especially when their team faces its fiercest rival, the Yankees, and Anthony had the privilege of being a witness to that just weeks into his debut. And oh boy, it seems like he’s still not over the win, or the vibe.

“I think for me, it was like when, you know, when we play the Yankees and we’re sold out on the weekend and, you know, we happened to sweep the Yankees—it was unbelievable,” Anthony said to Rob Bradford on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast. “I think after the second win on Saturday, I looked around and I was like, oh wow, this is what they talk about. This is Fenway. This is Boston. And I think that’s when it started to hit me,” he added. That’s true, there’s no better feeling than beating your rival, especially on home turf.

“You go and you play the Yankees, and they’re your rivals, and you win a game and you go home and you’re like, oh my God, I want to do that again, or anywhere,” he continued. It’s easy to see why. Facing the Yankees in just your second major league series and sweeping them? That’s one incredible welcome gift, indeed. Even though he went hitless against the Yankees, his bat has started showing all signs of powering up recently, and he just extended his hitting streak to five games.

That is definitely a relief for the Red Sox, who are desperately trying to stay afloat after the Devers trade. And who knows? He might become their biggest weapon when they face the Yankees again, and Anthony could take the rivalry to another level by hitting it out of the park then. He has only just begun to show glimpses of his form he had in the minors, but if he can adjust to this level better, he has all the potential to become a game-changer for the team. And the manager knows this more than anyone, as they seem truly determined to make space for him to grow and produce in a packed lineup.

Alex Cora reveals plans for Roman Anthony

The 21-year-old earned the title of No. 1 prospect in baseball for his power bat—there’s no doubt about that. Remember his 497-foot grand slam down in Triple-A Worcester that sent both fans and analysts into a frenzy, demanding the team call him up? Well, he’s yet to replicate that in the majors, but his recent surge is a good sign indeed. And guess what? After Devers’ exit, he has appeared as the DH six times, four times in the last five games. But according to Cora, the offensive side isn’t the only focus.

“I don’t want to make him a DH right away,” said Cora to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “He needs reps in the outfield. He made a great throw the other day, and here, he’s made some great plays in right field. Keeping the balance, checking with the other guys and where they’re at physically—we’ll mix it up,” the skipper added. Well, it’s definitely not an easy task, considering the other players are Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu. Compared to them, it is clear that he still has miles to go.

It’s understandable why they want to keep him in the defensive mix, though; it’s crucial for his long-term development. But the team will have to come up with plans to mix players in the outfield to find him a spot. Even though he is only hitting .210/.329/.339/.667, he has three doubles and is 9-for-19 with a .474 batting average over his last four games. So, if the Sox play things right and he keeps delivering, he could be all the team needs in the second half. But there’s no doubt that it’s a lot of pressure and expectation for a 21-year-old.