Roman Anthony reflects on his MLB introduction
Craig Breslow's roll of the dice was the most talked about gamble of the baseball season.
Trading Rafael Devers and then proceeding to proclaim that the organization believed that the Red Sox would win more games without the lineup's longtime center of attention than without him. It seemed like for this approach to take root some out-of-nowhere divine intervention would need to emerge.
It was the kind of leap of faith that many believed would land Breslow and Co. in baseball's bottomless pit. No bungee was seemingly attached.
Yet, here they are.
The Red Sox are still just two games out of a Wild Card spot, having won six of their last seven games after a 9-3 win over the Rockies Monday night at Fenway Park.
So, how is this happening? Much better offensive production. Much more consistent starting pitching. Much improved fundamental baseball. And then there is the team's ace-in-the-hole ... Roman Anthony.
When Devers left it was Anthony, the rookie whose introduction to the major leagues had just taken place a few weeks before, who immediately assumed the role of lineup gatekeeper. He would hit in either the second or third spot in the batting order virtually every night, supplying the kind of presence the Red Sox just sent to San Francisco.
Considering Anthony's age, experience, and already hefty expectations, it was a big gamble. But for this new way of doing things to work, Anthony immediately being a go-to guy was going to have to be part of the equation. Fortunately for the Red Sox, it has worked ... better than most in the baseball world could have probably anticipated.
The latest example: Anthony going 3-for-5 with a home run against the Rockies, boosting his OPS to .984 over the past 10 games.
The vast majority of scouts, executives, and anyone who had witnessed the player all concluded Anthony was going to be a special player. It's why so many were clamoring for his promotion throughout the first couple months of the season. But that doesn't mean there would be immediate satisfaction. There were plenty of recent lessons from top prospects to help temper some of those expectations.
When Devers was called up on July 25, 2017, he hit ninth in his first game. A month later, even with a .944 OPS, he was slotted in behind veterans such as Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Xander Bogaerts, Mitch Moreland, Dustin Pedroia and Hanley Ramirez. Benintendi, Betts and Bogaerts were also eased into their new existence in the years leading up to that '07 season.
There has been absolutely no easing in when it has come to Anthony.
"He’s a good player, a good hitter and that’s why he’s playing every day," Cora said. "We’re gonna push him out there. Play the outfield, hit in the top [portion] of the lineup and just try to help him out throughout the process. But he's a good one."
The equation that Breslow was banking on when gauging life without Devers is turning out to be adding up. In this 10-game run Anthony has gone on, the Red Sox own the majors' best team OPS by a long-shot (.983), scoring 15 more runs than any other club.
And, most importantly, the production has translated into wins, seven of them to be exact.
Anthony isn't the only reason. But he is a pretty big one.