The Red Sox may be staring at a tough roster decision after Roman Anthony’s right hand flared up again in the Wild Card series against the Yankees.
Anthony, who had already missed 101 games during the regular season with the same injury, started Game 2 as the designated hitter and led off. It didn’t go smoothly. He went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler and had trouble keeping his swing in check during both plate appearances.
The issue got worse in the top of the sixth. After Anthony took a check swing and then another swing, manager Chad Tracy pulled him for pinch-hitter Andruw Monasterio once the hand became uncomfortable.
“He took a check swing and then another swing and the hand flared on him and it got uncomfortable, so we had to make a move there,” Tracy told reporters after the game.
Anthony left the stadium after the Red Sox’ 9-0 loss and did not speak with reporters.
Tracy said it was too early to know whether Anthony would need imaging.
“I don’t know, the game just ended. It’s difficult, obviously it flares up on him and becomes uncomfortable and you have to make a move there. So we’ll see what the next steps are, but yeah, it was difficult.”
He also described the situation as more concerning than a routine setback.
“Today some stuff happened that was more serious and was uncomfortable.”
Anthony hit .245 with five homers and 15 RBI in 55 games during the regular season after being activated from the IL on Aug. 30.
There is now another layer to the problem for Boston: the club could remove Anthony from the roster for this series with the Commissioner’s approval, but doing that would make him unavailable for the rest of the Wild Card series and the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays if the Red Sox advance.
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