Roman Anthony's standout performance at the World Baseball Classic has Boston Red Sox fans buzzing with excitement. Yet, there's a lingering question: why did the Red Sox hesitate to promote Anthony last season?
The Red Sox waited until June 9 to bring Anthony up to the majors, despite calling up other prospects like Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer earlier. Campbell was on the Opening Day roster, while Mayer debuted on May 24, filling in due to Alex Bregman's injury.
In Campbell's case, the team believed he was ready to provide a right-handed boost to the lineup. Unfortunately, that decision backfired.
Campbell started strong but quickly faltered as pitchers adjusted. His struggles were compounded by being shuffled around defensively, suggesting he wasn't quite ready for the big leagues. As a result, Campbell now finds himself outside the MLB roster.
In contrast, Anthony's journey was different. He initially struggled against MLB pitching but quickly emerged as a star. While Campbell was promoted too soon, Anthony's call-up seemed overdue.
It's intriguing to consider how the 2025 season might have unfolded if Anthony had been on the Opening Day roster. The Red Sox could have benefited from more than just 71 games of Anthony’s impressive hitting. While it's speculative to suggest this would have prevented his injury, it's clear Boston's approach to promotions in 2025 was flawed.
Anthony has proven he can handle pressure, showing maturity beyond his years, especially at the WBC. Comments from Craig Breslow highlight Anthony's readiness to lead Boston's lineup, raising the question of why this confidence wasn't present last year.
As we watch Anthony excel on the international stage, it's evident that the Red Sox's handling of his development could have significantly improved their 2025 season.