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Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony reacts during a game. Anthony exited Monday with an apparent injury, dealing Boston a blow as a key lineup piece leaves early.

Roman Anthony exited the Red Sox game in Detroit with a wrist injury, in the latest blow to a badly struggling Boston team.

The 21-year-old outfielder felt discomfort in his right wrist during his opening at-bat Monday against the Tigers and did not return after the first inning concluded. The early exit creates immediate uncertainty for Boston’s lineup and raises questions about the severity of the injury and his availability going forward.

Roman Anthony Wrist Injury: What Happened?

The Red Sox characterized the Anthony injury as “right wrist discomfort,” according to NESN sideline reporter Jahmai Webster.

Boston beat reporter Chris Cotillo broke the news Monday, writing on social media that Anthony “has left the game and Masataka Yoshida is playing left field,” adding that Anthony “had a long visit with trainer Brandon Henry during his first at-bat,” according to the MassLive writer’s report. Red Sox Nation Stats also flagged the exit early, noting Anthony appeared to injure his hand or wrist on a first-inning swing, per MLB.com‘s Ian Browne.

Anthony appears likely to undergo additional testing to determine how serious the wrist issue is. The Red Sox are expected to release a formal injury update once those evaluations are complete, according to a RotoWire report.

Anthony returned just last week from a back issue that kept him out of four straight games in late April. Now another physical setback, this one to his wrist, threatens to compound what has already been a deeply frustrating season for the club.

The former No. 1 prospect in baseball also missed the final month of the season, as well as the Red Sox’s appearance in the American League Wild Card playoffs, with an oblique injury last year.

Anthony’s Role With Boston Red Sox in 2026

The Red Sox made Anthony their leadoff hitter entering 2026, banking on the left-handed slugger to be the engine of a lineup that desperately needed one. He arrived with staggering credentials: Baseball America’s consensus No. 1 overall prospect at the time of his June 2025 debut, Anthony went on to slash .292/.396/.463 with eight home runs across his first 71 big-league games, joining Ted Williams as the only Red Sox players ever to post 20-plus extra-base hits and 25-plus walks in their first 52 career contests, per Boston.com.

The organization rewarded that performance with an eight-year, $130.46 million contract extension last April, locking him up through his age-29 season. He has become for all intents and purposes the face of the franchise.

So far in 2026, Anthony has not fully lived up to that billing. He carries a .231 batting average, a .357 on-base percentage, and an OPS of .681 across 29 games, numbers that are surprisingly mediocre. The wrist injury now casts a shadow over whether any offensive uptick was on the horizon.

Boston Red Sox Injury Concerns Mount Amid Brutal Start

Boston has stumbled to a 13-21 record through the season’s first five weeks, a start that has left the front office and fan base searching for answers. The rotation has also taken a hit. Starter Ranger Suárez exited his Sunday outing early with a hamstring issue, raising fresh concerns about the club’s pitching depth.

Losing Anthony, even temporarily, removes the one player whose bat carries the most long-term upside in Boston’s order. His career OPS+ of 129 compiled across fewer than 500 plate appearances underscores just how central his offensive development is to any possible Red Sox turnaround. If the wrist injury proves serious enough to land him on the injured list, a team already scrambling for answers faces an even steeper climb.