Roman Anthony has not made any substantive progress in his recovery from a right-hand injury, interim Boston Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said, according to Boston Globe reporter Tim Healey.
Anthony has occasionally swung a lighter bat but has not advanced to using a regular bat or begun a hitting progression. The update leaves the 22-year-old without a clear timetable as he continues working his way back from an injury that has sidelined him for nearly seven weeks.
Anthony suffered the injury on May 4 during a game against the Detroit Tigers. He was hurt on an awkward check swing and exited the game in the first inning. Initial X-rays came back negative, leading the Red Sox to describe him as day-to-day initially.
Roman Anthony (sprained right wrist/hand) hasn’t made any substantive progress while the Red Sox have been away, Chad Tracy said.
He occasionally tries to swing a lighter bat but hasn’t gotten to a real bat/hitting progression.— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) June 24, 2026
The outfielder returned to Boston shortly afterward for an examination by team hand specialist Dr. Matthew Leibman. Further testing revealed a sprained ligament beneath his right ring finger, and the Red Sox placed him on the 10-day injured list on May 7.
What initially appeared to be a relatively short absence has stretched much longer than expected. A follow-up MRI on June 16 showed continued healing of the ligament, but Anthony had not resumed swinging a regular bat at that point. Tracy’s latest comments indicate there has been little change since that examination.
Anthony entered 2026 as one of the organization’s most prominent young players after making his major league debut on June 9, 2025. The Red Sox selected him in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and he quickly emerged as one of the top prospects in baseball during his climb through the minor leagues.
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His rise through the organization was driven by a combination of plate discipline, power potential, and an advanced offensive approach. Anthony consistently ranked among Boston’s highest-rated prospects and was viewed as a key part of the club’s long-term plans before reaching the major leagues.
Before suffering the injury, Anthony appeared in 130 plate appearances this season and posted a .229/.354/.321 slash line with one home run. While the power numbers were limited, his .354 on-base percentage highlighted the strike-zone awareness that has been one of the defining traits of his development as a hitter.
Boston has spent much of the season without one of its youngest lineup regulars. The club remains in the American League postseason race while continuing to wait for Anthony’s return.
For now, the most notable takeaway from Tracy’s update is that Anthony has not advanced to a full hitting progression. Until that changes, the next stage of his recovery remains on hold as the Red Sox move toward the second half of the season.
