The Boston Red Sox’s spring training has been far from smooth, as an illness sweeping through the clubhouse has sidelined several players over the past few weeks. With Opening Day 2025 approaching, it remains to be seen whether the team can regain full health in time.
One of the players affected by the illness is rookie outfielder Roman Anthony, the Red Sox’s top prospect. Anthony has not appeared in an exhibition game since March 2, and although his condition has been improving, his most recent health update may raise concerns among Boston fans.
Red Sox Injury Update: Roman Anthony Loses 10-12 Pounds Due to Illness
Just hours before Saturday’s 9-8 loss to the Minnesota Twins, manager Alex Cora shared that Anthony had lost 10-12 pounds over the week due to the flu. While the 20-year-old outfielder has returned to practice, he is not expected to play in a game until Tuesday at the earliest, according to The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey.
Anthony’s situation brings to mind a similar scenario from spring training 2024, when Red Sox infielder Vaughn Grissom battled an illness that caused him to lose around 14 pounds. Though injuries also played a role, Grissom struggled to return to form after being sick, and Red Sox fans are hoping Anthony avoids a similar fate.
Selected in the second round of the 2022 draft, Anthony enters the 2025 season as MLB.com’s No. 2 prospect. The West Palm Beach, FL native has shown consistent improvement year after year and is coming off an impressive 2024 campaign in which he hit 18 home runs, drove in 65 runs, drew 79 walks, stole 21 bases, and posted a .291/.396/.498 slash line over 119 games between Triple-A Worcester and Double-A Portland.
As Anthony works to regain his strength and make a bid for the Opening Day roster, the Red Sox remain optimistic about their outlook for the season. In the meantime, they will focus on their next spring training matchup against the Atlanta Braves, set for Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. ET on NESN 360 and Gray TV.
