The Roman Anthony situation keeps getting messier for the Red Sox, and the latest details only deepen the sense that Boston rushed the process from the start.
Anthony’s hand injury, suffered on May 4, was supposed to be handled with patience. Let him heal.
Keep him out until he was actually ready. Instead, the road back became a jumble of mixed messages, shifting timelines, and optimism that never seemed to match reality.
What looked in late summer like a careful rehab path now appears to have been anything but. According to Boston Globe reporter Tim Healey, speaking on Foul Territory this week, Anthony was never fully healed and will need a "hard reset" on the hand this offseason.
It sounds like Roman Anthony was never entirely healed, says @TimBHealey.
"He's going to need a hard reset on that hand this offseason." pic.twitter.com/vcLqtqiDph
- Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) October 1, 2026
That explanation lands hard against the backdrop of everything that came before it. For weeks, there were constant questions about whether Anthony was close to returning, only for the answer to keep shifting.
In late May, Anthony himself pushed back on earlier reports about how serious the hand issue really was. Later, reports out of his rehab work in Fort Myers in July talked up pain-free swings and steady progress.
Fans were given reasons to believe a return was imminent.
But Anthony said on Wednesday that his hand was never really 100%, which changes the whole picture. If the goal was to wait until the pain disappeared, that clearly did not happen. And if Boston believed he was ready anyway, that decision has now blown back on the organization.
The Red Sox activated Anthony on August 30, and now that move looks far more questionable in hindsight. If he truly wasn’t fully healthy, then Boston either misread the situation or sold the public a version of events that didn’t line up with the truth. Either way, the result is the same: Anthony’s hand got re-aggravated in the AL Wild Card Series, and the club’s handling of the injury is under a harsh spotlight.
This isn’t just about one injured hand, either. The way the Red Sox managed the situation has dragged in everyone attached to it.
Anthony took heat that comes with being labeled "soft" - something Red Sox writers are actually wondering about - and the medical staff now looks disorganized at best and reckless at worst. The whole thing leaves Boston looking like it created a problem that never needed to exist.
If the Red Sox had simply said in August that Anthony was out for the foreseeable future, there would have been backlash. But that would have been cleaner than months of confusion and false confidence. Instead, Boston rolled the dice, and now it’s paying for it.
In Other News...
Red Sox Still Have One Roster Flaw They Can't Keep Ignoring
The Red Sox are heading into the offseason with a clear offensive issue still in view: they need more right-handed power. Recent trades have already nudged the roster in that direction, but Boston appears likely to keep looking for ways to balance the lineup, whether that comes through another deal or a shift in how the current group is used.
Andrew Goodman, Jarren Duran and prospects such as Franklin Arias have all come up in the wider conversation as the front office weighs its options, and there is no shortage of names that could fit a buy-low swing if the right opportunity appears. Adolis Garca and Juan Soto are among the players being discussed, but the larger question is whether Boston can finally solve a flaw that has lingered long enough to shape the rest of the winter. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Still Have One Unsettled Infield Situation Heading Into 2027
Bostons end-of-season injury update brought a little clarity to a roster that spent plenty of the year juggling health questions, with officials checking in on Caleb Durbin, Garrett Crochet and Curtis Mead. Crochet is already in good shape heading into the offseason after the club took a cautious approach with his shoulder, while Mead has been fully cleared and is back in the mix for a job that matters plenty to the Red Soxs infield picture.
The unsettled piece is Durbin, whose pinkie injury still has no diagnosis and could yet require surgery, leaving his timeline unresolved as winter begins. Meanwhile, Meads standing gives Boston at least one fresh option to consider at second base in spring training, and the way the Red Sox handle that spot could shape how the rest of the infield falls into place heading into 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Lose A Veteran Bullpen Depth Piece After Frustrating Season
A frustrating 2026 season ends with another bullpen turn for Boston, as Seth Martinez has elected free agency after spending the year in the Red Sox organization. The six-year big league veteran got into one major league game for Boston before being designated for assignment and sent outright to Triple-A Worcester, where he finished out the season.
Martinez now moves on to the open market, leaving the Red Sox to sort through their relief depth without a pitcher they had hoped could provide experienced cover. For Boston, it is another reminder of how quickly bullpen plans can shift, especially for a club that kept Martinez around for depth but never really got much of a return at the major league level. [Read more 🡒]