The Boston Red Sox will face off against the New York Yankees in the second game of a three-game set on Wednesday night.
Unfortunately, the Red Sox will do so without the services of Roman Anthony at the top of the lineup for the club. When Boston released its starting lineup on Wednesday, the most notable absence was Anthony.
Wednesday at Fenway. pic.twitter.com/kkVsStkfXK
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 22, 2026
Before the game, Red Sox manager Alex Cora revealed that the reason for his absence is that the young outfielder is dealing with a sore back right now, as shared on X by Tim Healey of The Boston Globe.
"Roman Anthony is out of the lineup because he has a sore back, Alex Cora said. The Red Sox hope he returns tomorrow," Healey wrote.
On the bright side, the club made it sound like it's nothing serious and Anthony will be back on the field on Thursday. But any time something comes up with the 21-year-old star, it's worth a look. In 2025, Anthony dealt with some back tightness in August. Right now, the Red Sox can't afford to lose Anthony for any amount of time. The offense isn't clicking and Boston entered the day on Wednesday with a 9-14 record. The Red Sox need more firepower right now, not less.
We will keep you updated. If Anthony is back in the lineup on Thursday, that will be a good sign. If he misses his second straight game, alarm bells will ring.