The Boston Red Sox replaced Roman Anthony with Andruw Monasterio in the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game against the New York Yankees.
Monasterio pinch-hit for Anthony, and after the game, Chad Tracy said Anthony’s hand flared up on him. It was the same hand he injured in the regular season, causing him to miss 101 games. The decision to pull him from the game was a shock to fans at the time, but the team reportedly went into the game knowing it was a possibility.
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“The issue predated the game,” reported the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “Monasterio said he was notified prior to the game that he might have to replace Anthony due to the discomfort in his hand.”
Anthony was seen flexing his right hand after a check swing in Sunday’s regular season finale. The timing could not be worse, as now the Red Sox have their backs against the wall. It’s unclear whether Anthony will play in Game 2 on Wednesday.
Even if the Red Sox can get past the Yankees, it’s possible that Anthony’s injury lingers into the next round. Whether or not he plays on Wednesday will be the first major indicator of how serious the recent flare-up is. If Anthony is unable to go, the other bats in the lineup will have to step up in order to get past Max Fried and the Yankees in Game 2.
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