Roman Anthony Went 3-for-4 and the Red Sox Rebuild Just Got Real
Forget the shutout. Forget Garrett Crochet’s dominance for a second—though we’ll definitely get to that.
Roman Anthony went 3-for-4 in his Opening Day debut and looked like he’s been hitting major league pitching for years.
This is what a real rebuild looks like.
Anthony Didn’t Just Show Up—He Announced Himself
The 21-year-old center fielder opened the entire 2026 season with a sharp single up the middle on the very first pitch. Then he added two more hits, including an absolute ROCKET toward first base—112 mph exit velocity—that hit Sal Stewart’s glove so hard the Reds first baseman stayed down in visible pain.
By the time the ninth inning rolled around, Anthony had reached base four times. That made him the 14th player EVER to do that on Opening Day at age 21 or younger. Nine of the first 13 are Hall of Famers.
First hit on the first pitch of 2026! ROMAN ANTHONY ☝️ pic.twitter.com/example
— NESN (@NESN) March 28, 2026
Yeah, it’s one game. But when you’re comparing a 21-year-old to Cooperstown on Day 1, maybe—just maybe—the Red Sox actually got this rebuild right.
The ABS Challenge That Changed Everything
Here’s where it gets even better. Top of the ninth, full count, Red Sox clinging to a 1-0 lead. Dan Iassogna rings Anthony up on a low pitch.
Anthony taps his helmet. Challenge.
The automated ball-strike system overturns it. Ball four. Walk instead of strikeout. Trevor Story and Jarren Duran follow with RBI singles. Game over, 3-0.
“It changes the whole thing,” Alex Cora said after the game, per MassLive. “That’s a strikeout, 1-0 game, with Chapman in this ballpark.”
Marcelo Mayer, standing on first base when Anthony challenged? He said it best: “When Roman challenges, it’s usually right.”
This Is What a Real Rebuild Looks Like
Not tanking for a decade. Not burning money on broken veterans who can’t stay healthy.
The Red Sox went out and developed elite talent. They gave Anthony an eight-year, $130 million extension last August when he was still in Triple-A. They traded for Crochet, extended him for six years and $170 million, and watched him carve up the Reds for six shutout innings with eight strikeouts.
Boston made the playoffs last year for the first time since 2021. Now they’ve got a 21-year-old batting leadoff on Opening Day who plays like he’s been here forever.
Anthony is the kind of player Boston hasn’t developed in years. If he’s this good on Day 1, imagine what he’ll be by June.
The Red Sox might actually be ahead of schedule. And for the first time in a long time, believing doesn’t feel stupid.
