Don't worry about Roman Anthony. That was the hope. That was the Red Sox's non-verbal messaging.
Focus on the three-game sweep of the Tigers. Zero in on some of the recent turnaround performances up and down the lineup. Ride the optimism of what had become a get-on-my-back pitching staff. And soak in the memories of the new Red Sox Hall of Fame inductees being presented at Fenway Park Monday night.
Even Anthony did his part in shifting the focus elsewhere, not only making it clear there was little concern about the injured ring finger that landed him on the injured list, but also immediately hiding the hand brace in his sweatshirt pocket while meeting with the media just for good measure.
"There's so much that goes on in the hand, and I've never dealt with a hand issue before," said Anthony, who is intent on being ready to play once eligible on May 15. "So, I think just getting the news back, understanding that it's nothing very serious, is the best news we could have gotten. The treatment is pretty simple, trying to get a lot of blood flow circulating around the wrist and the arm. Nothing too crazy. Just a little sprain. The ligament near the ring finger. Nothing that will take too long. So, I think that's the best part."
The injury might be nothing more than a blip on the Red Sox's early-season radar. But it's fair to understand and be reminded how important Anthony is. Monday offered a glimpse of that reality.
Take your pick ...
Maybe it was just the presence of players like Johnny Damon and Jon Lester, players who not only possessed World Series rings because of their excellence but also rode the waves of the kind of lineup alphas Anthony was supposed to represent this year.
Or perhaps the reality check came courtesy of looking across the diamond at a Rays team that has now won seven straight games and 13 of their last 14 after a 8-4 victory over the Red Sox.
Through all the seemingly perfectly-placed pieces in the Rays' lineup, there resided Junior Caminero. He is to Tampa Bay what the Red Sox were, and are, banking on Anthony becoming. This time around, the 22-year-old (who is nine months older than Anthony) went 2-for-4 with a walk and 10th home run of the season.
Last year, as a 21-year-old, Caminero hit 45 home runs and finished the 2025 season with an .846 OPS, the exact number he currently has. The Rays just happen to be 8-1 when the third baseman hits a home run this season. Last season, the record was 26-15 with at least one home run hit by Caminero.
Nobody should compare Anthony and the Rays' young star from head to toe. They are different players with different skillsets. But they do represent the element of roster building that clubs know is necessary. It's why the Red Sox were willing to put Anthony at the top of their batting order when trying to put their best foot forward out of the gate this season. And it's also why interim manager Chad Tracy had no qualms in having Anthony potentially be the primary run-producer in the No. 3 spot.
It's a life the Rays have Caminero living without hesitation, which is the same vibe the Red Sox will continue to chase once Anthony returns.
But while Wilyer Abreu has been able to soak up some of that conversation as the Red Sox's lineup's recent alpha, carrying a .906 OPS in the last 12 games, the club's willingness to bank on Anthony - both financially and on the field - should be remembered.
Everything about the healthy and productive version of Anthony just fit so perfectly for what the Red Sox had planned, including something as subtle as one of the lefty hitters who could potentially take advantage of the short left field wall. (As a reminder, the Red Sox still have the fewest home runs at home of any team in MLB.)
Anthony has the opportunity to be elite, and that is a skill set this Red Sox's lineup could truly use. While his batting average (.229) or OPS (.675) isn't going to light up any leaderboards, one look at his Baseball Savant page offers another notification. Walk percentage. Chase percentage. Bat speed. Sweet spot percentage. Hard hit percentage. Average exit velocity. All bright red, for all you Savant newbies, means he is well above average in each category.
Ultimately, it will come back to the notion that this is a results business. It's the world the Rays are currently basking in with Caminero, and one the Red Sox have always been banking on with Anthony's presence.
That is one part of this plan that shouldn't be forgotten.
