Roman Anthony took a concrete step forward in his recovery on Wednesday, beginning a swing progression after previously being shut down when an attempt to hit off a tee in late May caused discomfort.
The Boston Red Sox outfielder is now hitting off a tee and taking short flips, a sign that the club has at least moved him back into baseball activity. It is not a full return to hitting, and there is still no clear timetable for what comes next, but it does mark progress after more than one setback in the recovery process.
From the injured list to another restart
Anthony, who is 22 years old, has been out since May 4, when he left the Red Sox's eventual 5-4 win in Detroit with a sprained ligament below his right ring finger. Three days later, he was placed on the 10-day injured list after the team had initially hoped rest might be enough to avoid that move.
That plan changed, and the recovery has not followed a straight line. Anthony last tried to hit off a tee in late May, but discomfort forced him to stop. Wednesday's swing progression suggests the injury has settled enough for him to begin building back toward baseball readiness, even if the Red Sox are still being cautious.
Chad Tracy said Anthony is doing well, but also made it clear there are no clear next steps yet. Tracy added that the latest development is a step in the right direction, which is about as specific as the Red Sox can be at this stage.
What it could mean for Boston
Anthony's return matters because the Red Sox have already had to adjust once to his absence. He had been active in 30 games and was hitting.229 with a.675 OPS before the injury interruption. Any movement back toward game action would affect how Boston maps out its near-term roster decisions, especially if the club continues to manage his workload carefully.
For now, the key point is simple: Roman Anthony is swinging again, and after the stop-and-start nature of his recovery, that is a meaningful development for both the player and the Red Sox.
