Red Sox locks in another budding star, signs outfielder Roman Anthony The eight-year extension covers the 2026-33 season and offers club options for 2034. Frontline athlete managers reportedly guaranteed $130mm of 130mm in a deal, which also includes important escalators based on Rookie of the Year, MVP and All-Star votes.
Anthony received a $5mm signing bonus. The salary breakdown is as follows:
- 2026 $2mm
- 2027 $4mm
- 2028 $8mm
- $15mm for 2029
- 2030 $19mm
- 2031 $23mm
- $25mm in 2032
- 2033 $29mm
- $34mm Club Option (No Buy and Sell) 2034
Escalators are suitable for seasons 2032 and 2033. If he ranks in the top two in the 2025 rookie voting, they will also apply to the 2031 season. If Anthony’s salary ranks first or second in the Rookie of the Year vote, his salary will increase by 1mm. In the previous year, the salary for each MVP victory will also increase by 2mm, with the second or third dollar salary in the MVP vote of 1mm, the fourth or fifth time in the MVP vote of 750,000 USD, and $500,000 for $500,000 for $500,000 to get the sixth to tenth MVP vote, any all-out. Those same escalators will work for club options, but the first two Roy finishes will be added by $2mm instead of $1MM.
From a great performance perspective, the deal bought all six of Anthony’s original club-controlled season, plus two free agent years and had an option in the third free agent season. But if Anthony is in the top two in the Rookie of the Year vote, he will be served for a full year this season, so that means the deal will lock in three years of free agents in the fourth club option.
Regardless of the number of years of eliminating free agents, Sox now controls Anthony until 2034, what his 30-year-old season will be. He was still able to be a free agent until his 31-year-old campaign and positioned him as another potential nine-digit contract.
Anthony’s deal is similar to the eight-year, $111mm extension Corbin Carroll Signed with D-Backs in January 2023. Both outfielders were seen as the sport’s highest prospect when they debuted in their 21-year-old season. Both achieved immediate success and quickly signed an eight-year deal from their 22-year-old season.
As can be seen from MLBTR’s contract tracker, Anthony’s contract became the third largest guarantee ever provided to players who served in Major League Baseball for less than a year. Julio Rodriguez’s $210mm deal with the Mariners is currently at the top, although the deal comes as Rodriguez further enters 2022 and eventually becomes the rookie of the year competent season.
Anthony, who scored the 79th draft pick in the 2022 draft, raided hard in the minor leagues, performed well in the 19-year-old High-A and never looked back. By measuring WRC+, he is at least 40% better than the league average in every site from High-A to Triple-A, and he has performed well through the first 46 major league games.
On the 190 major league plates, Anthony hit .283/.400/.428 with a pair of home runs, 15 doubles, two stolen bases, a 13.7% walk rate and a 24.7% strikeout rate. He was harsh from the bat at an average of 94.1 mph, seeing 58% of his balls off the bat’s drive at least 95 mph. His overall power output is acquiesced by 55.4% ground ball speed, but Anthony is increasing the ball in minors and numbers, at which point he will gain more doubling power as he continues to adapt to major league pitching. For now, the heavy walking method and numerous doubles are getting the job done. Since arriving in the major leagues, Anthony has averaged 33% higher than the average in the batsman box.
Anthony has no elite contact skills, but does make excellent swing decisions. His overall contact rate of 73.1% and the total contact rate of the courts in the area was 81.6%, both points below the league average, but Anthony’s pursuit rate (only 20.1%) (only 20.1%) was 8 percentage points lower than the average. Of the 292 batsmen who have played at least 190 sets in this year’s Grand Slam, he tied for the 19th highest chase rate per Statcast.
On the defensive side, Anthony separated his time, but in two outfield corners, but spent more time at the right time. He has seen time in the midfield of minors, but reports about Anthony usually nail his long-term residence in one of the corners. His arms are not elite, but at least average, if not better ticking. Anthony has improved a strong defensive rating for his work so far (+5 defensive scoring savings, +4 outs above average). He gave Sox another talented defender, joining the three Jarren Duran,,,,, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreueveryone is their own plus defender.
The talented person in the field – plus Yoshida MasatakaThe presence in DH has long prompted speculation about the group’s potential trade. Duran and Abreu have seen their names kicked out around the offseason rumor mill. Boston will certainly welcome the opportunity to escape the last two years of Yoshida’s five-year contract, which lasts through 2027, but pays 18.5mm in each of the next two seasons, which is a high order. Anthony will never be traded, and this new long-term arrangement will only further consolidate his foundational work for the Red Sox.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported that Red Sox and Anthony are finalizing the 2034 club option for an eight-year, $130mm deal. Chris Cotillo of Masslive reports the option value of 30mm. Alex Speier of Boston Globe has a specific salary and escalator structure.
