Roman Anthony is on the way back, but that doesn’t have to mean Jarren Duran is getting squeezed out of the picture.
That’s the direction Boston Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy seemed to point when he talked about Anthony’s role in left field, according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. Tracy made it clear the young outfielder does not have to be out there every day once he returns.
"I don't think it's a case of needing him to play every day," Tracy said of Anthony in left field. "You obviously want him out there.
We've seen it with [Masataka Yoshida getting hurt]. Something could happen in a blink and you need him to be out there regularly, so he's got to get reps out there and he's got to get on his feet to play out there.
But I don't think it's an everyday scenario that he needs to be able to play the field every single day."
That matters because Boston’s designated hitter spot is wide open while Masataka Yoshida is on the shelf and likely out for at least most of the rest of the regular season. The club has been patching that spot lately with players such as Mickey Gasper and Jahmai Jones.
The roster picture is about to get even busier. Along with Anthony’s return, Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are also on rehab assignments, which means some current big league pieces will have to move off the roster. Anthony Seigler is one name to keep an eye on, and Gasper and Jones also appear to be in play.
Through all of that, Duran’s season in left field deserves more attention than it’s gotten. He has been steady defensively, ranking in the 89th percentile in outs above average with five and in the 71st percentile in fielding run value. At the plate over his last 13 games, he has hit .289/.347/.467 with an .814 OPS, along with one homer, two RBIs, one stolen base and three doubles.
Back when the 2026 season began, Duran did not handle the early role shuffle well. Boston had an outfield logjam, and he wound up moving between left field, DH and the bench. The cleaner answer now would be to keep Duran in left field and use Anthony mostly as the DH, at least down the stretch.
That would let the Red Sox add Anthony’s bat without disturbing too much else. Jones or Eli White could still fill in as depth behind them. And with Tracy already saying Anthony doesn’t need to play the field every day, the path of least resistance may be to give him most of his reps at DH once he’s back.
In Other News...
Red Sox Suddenly Have A Late-Season Tanner Houck Decision
The Red Sox are starting to see the injury picture shift in their favor, with Garrett Crochet, Roman Anthony and Trevor Story all hopeful for returns in the coming weeks. Amid that broader good news, Tanner Houck has emerged as another name worth watching as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery and edges closer to a minor league rehab assignment.
Houcks path back is a little different from the others, though, because Boston is considering the possibility of getting him back as a reliever before the season ends. It would be a notable late-season wrinkle for a pitcher who was so effective in 2024, when he made 30 starts and posted a 3.12 ERA, and it leaves the Red Sox weighing how much value there might be in one more arm for the stretch run. [Read more 🡒]
Red Sox Roster Squeeze Could Cost Boston A Popular Spark Plug
Trevor Story is expected back on the Red Sox major league roster soon, and that kind of return always creates a little housekeeping for a team trying to stay nimble down the stretch. Boston will need to clear a spot, and with the roster already tight, the move will likely come from a player who has seen his opportunities shrink as the season has worn on.
Anthony Seigler looks like the most vulnerable name in that equation, at least for now, even though the club has not announced any official changes. The calendar helps soften the blow, since the roster expands on Sept. 1 and gives the Red Sox more flexibility to bring players back before the playoffs, but for the moment there is still one more uncomfortable decision ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Adley Rutschman Is Already Helping The Red Sox Where It Matters
Adley Rutschmans bat has not taken off since the trade deadline deal sent him from Baltimore to Boston, but the Red Sox have still found value in the newest addition. Even while he works through the offensive adjustment that comes with a midseason move, Rutschman has made an impression in the clubhouse and behind the plate, where his influence on the pitching staff has been impossible to miss.
Bostons rotation and bullpen have been performing like one of the best groups in baseball, and Rutschmans role in that rise goes beyond the box score. The Red Sox have leaned on his encouragement and leadership as a steadying presence, a reminder that a trade deadline pickup can help in ways that do not always show up in hits and RBI. [Read more 🡒]