The Red Sox officially announced a long-term extension for rookie for Roman Anthony that will go into effect next season. It’s an eight-year deal worth at least $130MM. And, per the themes of these pre-arbitration deals, it’s all about control and ensuring teams get value out of players before and during their prime seasons.
A Look at Anthony
Thus far, Roman Anthony has been a spectacle for the Red Sox.
Anthony was promoted in June after a strong run in Triple-A Worcester. The 21-year-old has shown some expected flaws, as there’s been a good amount of swing (28.6% Whiff%) in his game that was visible in Triple-A. However, the pros have outweighed the cons.
The 21-year-old hit 18 extra-base hits over 46 games for Boston. The hard hits haven’t resulted in home runs just yet but that shouldn’t be an issue.
Additionally, Anthony posted a .400 OBP, 10th-best among all Major Leaguers with at least 150 plate appearances since he was promoted. He slashed .283/.400/.428 (.828 OPS) in that span.
The rookie outfielder has been a key part of the Sox’s jump to a Wild Card spot. Now, he’ll get paid like a superstar.
Per ESPN, Anthony will receive a base salary of $2MM in 2026, well above the league minimum. From there, he’ll make $4MM and $8MM in 2027 and 2028, respectively, in his pre-arbitration years.
From there, he’ll make $15MM, $19MM, and $23MM in his three arbitration-eligible seasons, plus $25MM in 2032 and $29MM in 2033. There’s also a $30MM club option for 2034 and potential escalators that can raise the total deal to $230MM.
Analysis
Before we get too far, it’s worth noting there are obvious similarities between how the Sox did extensions for both Anthony and Campbell. Both were in-season extensions in their rookie season, although Anthony got his after his 46th game, while Campbell got his before his 20th game.
Anthony’s numbers are legitimate and well ahead of Campbell. The former sported a strong 6.3 Barrel/PA over his first 46 games, while Campbell posted just a 4.1 Barrel/PA. However, both are very different players, as one — Anthony — should project to be a plus power hitter. Campbell may be in the future but is not there just yet.
Now, as far as why the Red Sox would do this just now, take a look at just some of the potential outfielders who have reached their final year of arbitration over the years:
| Player | Final Yr. of Arbitration | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Tucker | 2025 | $16.5MM |
| Juan Soto | 2024 | $31MM |
| Anthony Santander | 2024 | $11.7MM |
| Alex Verdugo | 2024 | $9.2MM |
| Teoscar Hernandez | 2023 | $14MM |
Those numbers are just a baseline — for now — of players who are getting close to free agency in the interim. Given how the landscape of baseball can change financially, locking up Anthony for all of his pre-arbitration, arbitration, and two additional seasons is significant.
Anthony could have entered free agency after his age-28 campaign. If the Sox believe he could produce on par with the likes of Kyle Tucker, who’s posted an .800+ OPS in every season since 2020 and could get an extension comparable to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., locking him up and buying out those extra seasons can save a lot of headaches down the line.
Additionally, it also gives the Red Sox clarity with how their core can look over the coming seasons. Boston signed Ceddanne Rafaela, Garrett Crochet, and Kristian Campbell to pre-free agency extensions over the last few years.
One last thought: even though the Red Sox are paying more now in his pre-arbitration years, keep in mind Boston doesn’t have a lot of committed money on the books over the coming seasons. Walker Buehler‘s $25MM option is a mutual one that’ll likely be refuted, while Alex Bregman and Trevor Story ($25MM) both can opt out after this year.
If it means paying more to save later, that’s not a bad idea, to say the least.
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