Red Sox President Sets Clear Expectations for Roman Anthony & Team Despite Leaving Bregman-Devers Hole

The Boston Red Sox finally made it to October baseball last season for the first time since their 2021 run. However, losing the Wild Card Series to their AL East rivals, the New York Yankees, cut their postseason run short. But by the end of 2025, the franchise was lacking star powers like Alex Bregman and Rafael Devers. Now equipped with the young Roman Anthony’s firepower, the Red Sox president has set high expectations for the team.

The Red Sox start the 2026 season with a revamped roster, a strong starting rotation to anchor a lineup featuring Anthony, Wilson Contreras, Wilyer Abreu, and Jarren Duran. For this team, the Red Sox president, Sam Kennedy, has set a clear expectation: the World Series win.

During his yearly appearance on the Opening Day podcast of Fenway Rundown with MassLive’s Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam, Kennedy made his 2026 expectations known. “We want to win a World Series. We hope to take that next step forward in October,” said Kennedy.

“But I’d be lying to you if we didn’t think we had a team that was built to get to the postseason and capable of really having a special run. But it’s easy to say that here as we get to the last hours of spring training. But no, this is an aggressive bunch, a confident group, and we’re hoping to get back to October. Anything can happen once you get into the dance,” stated the franchise CEO.

After their 2025 postseason was cut short, the Red Sox addressed their rotation woes by adding veteran pitchers. While Garret Crochet continues to spearhead the rotation, the addition of Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray brings reliable arms to battle with the inconsistencies of last season.

But the Red Sox lineup has suffered two major blows with the exits of Bregman and Devers that essentially remained unaddressed.

The franchise failed to keep the star 3B after Bregman took the first of two opt-outs in the three-year deal he signed with Boston. The Red Sox had moved Devers to DH to make space for Bregman at 3B. Yet Bregman left in November.

By the time the Cubs signed Bregman, the Red Sox had already traded Devers to the Giants. In 90 games for the Giants, Devers hit at .236 with 20 homers and .807 OPS. With Bregman’s exit, the Red Sox Nation can’t help but compare the Devers trade with Mookie Betts departure.

In 2020, Boston traded Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, along with pitcher David Price. Betts then signed a 12-year deal with the Dodgers and went on to win multiple World Series rings with them. Betts was a part of Boston’s 2018 World Series squad.

It was the last time Boston had won the World Series. This year, CEO Kennedy has again set the goal to win one. But after failing to keep Bregman, in a market with Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker, and Cody Bellinger available, Breslow did not make any major deals. The only power bat they acquired is Willson Contreras, who will be their primary 1B and DH.

As a result, the offensive firepower expectations fall on Roman Anthony, the 21-year-old outfielder.

“He has been extraordinary. I hate to put the type of pressure on a 21-year-old kid like that. But he sort of brought it on himself by how he’s not only performed on the field,” said Kennedy.

Anthony made 71 appearances for Boston last season, slashing .292/.396/.463 with an OPS of .859. His WBC performance for Team USA stood out after batting .318 with 2 homers and a team-high 7 RBIs. His homers came in crucial matches against the Dominican Republic and Team Mexico. He also made the All-Tournament Team as one of the three OFs.

In Spring Training, too, Anthony showed his immense batting power by registering a .300 average in 30 at-bats. His batting display has already made Alex Cora name him the lead-off hitter in 2026. The Red Sox expect Anthony, Jarren Duran, and Willson Contreras to lead their offense this season.

Meanwhile, manager Alex Cora has revealed another aspect that sets Anthony apart.

Cora says what makes Roman Anthony stand out

The 21-year-old Roman Anthony has made waves within the Boston Red Sox with his hitting. Red Sox expect him to be the face of the franchise in the future.

Apart from his talent, manager Cora revealed, Anthony’s attitude also sets him apart from his teammates. For being so young, Anthony can hold his calm even in tough situations. He does not get too excited and keeps a level head all the time. A quality that can give him an upper hand in high-intensity games.

In Cora’s words, reported ESPN, “He’s just a good kid… he’s so calm, right? Like, he doesn’t get too high. He doesn’t get too low.”

Cora was right. Anthony managed to maintain his calm in as high-intensity a game as the WBC semi-final. Even after hitting a huge 421-foot homer against the Dominican Republic, which he later called “unbelievable”, Anthony remained composed.

In the conversation, Cora revealed that even the AL East rivals’ managers are looking forward to Anthony’s performance this season. One of them was the Yankees’ skipper, Aaron Boone, who told Cora that it would be “fun” to watch him play.

Anthony will be in action for the Boston Red Sox in their season opener against the Cincinnati Reds on March 26. Garret Crochet is the official Opening Day starter for Boston.

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