BOSTON (AP) — The Red Sox signed rookie phenom Roman Anthony to an eight-year, $130 million contract on Wednesday, spending some of the cash they saved by trading Rafael Devers away on a player they hope will be the centerpiece of the next generation of Boston stars.
The 21-year-old outfielder, who has 159 major league at-bats so far, is signed through 2033, with a team option for 2034. The deal was announced with the Red Sox on a seven-game winning streak heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals.
“We’re playing such great baseball. I didn’t want to be a distraction to anyone,” Anthony said in a pregame news conference attended by his parents and sister and teammates along with members of the ballclub’s ownership, front office and coaching staff. “But I knew that this is where I wanted to be, and I’m having a blast. And I just wanted to continue that.”
Anthony was hitless in four at-bats on Wednesday, including a 374-foot fly ball that was caught above the short right field wall by Royals outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. He is batting .276 with two homers and 19 RBIs in 47 games since making his debut in June.
The team is 32-16 since his call-up, including a 10-game winning streak heading into the All-Star break and seven straight wins when he signed his deal.
“This is a guy who was the No. 1 prospect in the sport. We’ve seen the impact that he’s had on our major league team in just over 150 at-bats,” Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow said. “And so when we think about the future of this organization, there’s no question that it got brighter today.”
Anthony’s nine-figure deal, which includes a $30 million team option for 2034, buys out his five or six years of team control, and at least two seasons of free agency. He could still become a free agent at 30.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I believe that I will be the best version of myself every single day,” said Anthony, who received a big cheer when he came to the plate in the first inning. “It was a deal that was obviously more than enough for me and for my family and at a place that I want to be in.”
The Red Sox have struggled to hold onto their homegrown stars lately, trading away 2018 AL MVP Mookie Betts when they couldn’t sign him and then watching Xander Bogaerts leave as a free agent. The team appeared to break the trend when it signed Rafael Devers to a 10-year, $313 million deal in 2023; instead, it traded him away this season when he refused to change fielding positions.
The roster churn has led to just one postseason appearance in the past six years, as well as a feeling among fans that the team isn’t willing to spend what it takes to compete for championships.
“Yes, in the past when we haven’t signed homegrown players, it’s hurt,” team president Sam Kennedy said.
But Anthony now joins pitcher Brayan Bello, outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela and infielder Kristian Campbell as a future core signed to long-term deals. Pitcher Garrett Crochet, who was acquired in a trade, was also signed to an extension that would keep him in Boston until 2031.
“We’re heading in the right direction. The future organization is in great hands,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said after the game, a 7-3 loss that snapped the team’s seven-game winning streak. “If you want to win, year-in and year-out, you need to do that.”
Anthony said it’s a special group to be a part of.
“I try not to look too far into the future, but we’re having a lot of fun and playing good baseball right now,” he said. “It’s super exciting when we talk about how young we are and the mix that we have of the great veteran guys that we have. So there’s a lot to be excited about.”
Kennedy acknowledged that the unsteady roster has been difficult on fans, who buy their favorite players’ jerseys only to watch them leave.
“It’s OK to fall in love with our stars, and recognizing that a lot of these guys will be around for a long time,” Kennedy said.
“We’re not done yet, but it’s headed in the right direction. And signing our homegrown, young, talented guys is a huge part of that,” he said. “That’s been the key piece of having success in our time here is locking up our homegrown talent who want to be here.”
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
