Red Sox Anthony exits Wild Card Game 1 with hand injury

Dustin JudgeDustin Judge
Newly minted Team USA Outfielder Roman Anthony celebrates hitting a single vs Orioles in August.

Red Sox designated hitter Roman Anthony was removed from Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Yankees on Tuesday after his right hand injury flared up. The 22-year-old struck out in both at-bats against Yankees starter Cam Schlittler before manager Chad Tracy lifted him for pinch hitter Andruw Monasterio in the sixth inning with the Red Sox trailing 2-0.

According to Tracy, Anthony felt discomfort after check swings. The Yankees won 9-0 to take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three.

A Recurring Issue For Roman Anthony

Anthony missed 101 games from May 5 through Aug. 29 with an injury to his right hand—the same one that flared in Game 1. He was activated from the injured list on Aug. 30 and returned for the final stretch of the regular season.

Tracy said Anthony had felt occasional twinges in the hand since his return. “You’ll get a zinger every once in a while where you feel something — it’s fine, it goes away,” Tracy said. “Today some stuff happened that was more serious and was uncomfortable.”

Wednesday status uncertain

Anthony’s status for Game 2 on Wednesday is uncertain, and the Red Sox must win to extend their season. “He obviously was in a lot of discomfort. So we had to remove him. We’ll have to see what tomorrow brings,” Tracy said.

If the Red Sox remove Anthony from the Wild Card roster due to injury, he would miss the ALDS should Boston advance. The team has depth options: outfielder Braiden Ward is with the team, and designated hitter Curtis Mead and catcher Anthony Seigler are on the injured list.

Regular season stats

Anthony finished the 2026 regular season with a .245 average, five home runs, 15 RBIs and a .735 OPS in 55 games. After his Aug. 30 activation, he batted .262 with a .797 OPS over 25 games, adding four home runs and six doubles over 112 plate appearances but striking out in 29.5% of those at-bats.

What’s next

The Red Sox face Yankees starter Max Fried in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Boston trails 1-0 in the best-of-three and must win to stay alive.

Reporting from The Associated Press, FOX Sports, CBS Sports and Masslive contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.