Alex Cora compares Roman Anthony to ex-Red Star in leadoff hitter update
FORT MYERS, Fla. – An necessary piece of the puzzle that’s the 2026 Red Sox was put into place Saturday morning when supervisor Alex Cora named Roman Anthony leadoff hitter.
Anthony impressed total in his 71-game rookie season final yr, however he proved an particularly sturdy table-setter. He made 27 begins on the high of the lineup (31 video games whole), and hit .336, received on base at a .439 on-base clip and slugged .564 with 26 runs and 17 RBI. He collected 37 hits, together with 5 doubles, a triple, and 6 dwelling runs, drew 19 walks and struck out 34 instances.
As the primary at-bat of video games, particularly, Anthony went 8 for 25 (.320) with two dwelling runs, a stroll and 7 strikeouts.
“I felt really comfortable in the leadoff spot last year,” Anthony stated. “I think it’s something for me that I take with a lot of pride, getting the boys going, and trying to get on base.”
Anthony will rejoice his twenty second birthday on May 13. Rarely is a participant so younger given such an necessary function. The most up-to-date Red Sox leadoff hitters youthful than 22, in addition to Anthony final season, have been Jonathan Araúz (2020) and Mookie Betts (2014). Other notable 21-and-younger Red Sox who hit leadoff embrace Dwight Evans, Tony Conigliaro, and Bobby Doerr, though it would not occur usually. In franchise historical past, essentially the most video games in the leadoff spot by a hitter youthful than 22 have been Doerr’s 86 in 1937; Anthony’s 31 (27 begins) already rank fourth in franchise historical past.
According to StatHeadvert, solely 5 gamers youthful than 22 have spent greater than 100 video games in the leadoff spot, in single or cumulative seasons, since 2000: Carl Crawford, Elvis Andrus, Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Jackson Holliday.
Cora pointed to Mookie Betts as examples of energy hitters who’ve discovered success in the function.
“George Springer, Mookie Betts,” the supervisor defined. “They’ve done it before, setting the tempo. Kyle Schwarber, too. It can be 1-0 very quick, or it’s a quality at-bat.”
“If you can do some damage in that first inning or just score some runs,” Anthony stated. “I think that’s huge in a baseball game, kind of changing the momentum. … It’s a huge at-bat. Not one that I ever take for granted, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Roman Anthony felt like failure in early Red Sox games: ‘You learn fast’
