Roman Anthony shared how he’s treating his upper back injury and hopes to return in the next couple of days as Boston prepares for Baltimore.
The Boston Red Sox are set to open their next stretch of games against the Baltimore Orioles, but one familiar piece of the lineup remains sidelined.
Roman Anthony has missed the past few contests after suffering a back injury during a swing against the New York Yankees. While the Red Sox will plan without him for the start of the series, Anthony believes the issue isn’t serious and says he’s already making progress in his recovery.
In his update, Anthony explained that he’s been handling the situation with the team’s training staff.. “We’ve been taking care of it in the training room and doing everything I can do to get back out there. ” he said. describing the injury as something that “happened on a swing.” He added that he isn’t overly worried and that he’s drawing on experience from last year. when a different back-related injury (an oblique) forced him to miss time.
That context matters, because players often learn quickly how their bodies respond once symptoms appear.. Anthony described a moment that sounded familiar to anyone who’s dealt with nagging soreness after an at-bat: he felt something unusual. finished the game. and expected it to settle—only to realize the next day that it wasn’t going away the way he hoped.. “When things started to settle down, it didn’t feel the way I wanted it to feel,” he said.. He also characterized the follow-up as something he initially thought might be a spasm. but still admitted it didn’t feel right.
The injury history behind Anthony’s caution is part of what has Boston paying close attention.. Anthony has dealt with back problems before. and he made a point of differentiating this latest issue from last year’s oblique.. “This was more upper back.. Last time it was more lower back,” he said.. In other words. while the general category—back troubles—will catch attention. he’s framing the current situation as distinct enough that he doesn’t feel the same level of severity.
From a Red Sox standpoint. that distinction is important not because it guarantees a quick return. but because it shapes how the club manages risk.. A swing-related injury often ties directly to how the body rotates and braces through contact. meaning even “minor” discomfort can become a problem if it’s there on the wrong day.. Anthony’s plan. as he presented it. sounds like a controlled push toward being ready soon rather than trying to rush through pain.
Anthony’s expectation is that he could be back shortly—he said he thinks he’ll be ready “in the next couple of days.” If that timeline holds. Boston gains more than a body in the lineup.. It gains stability in a roster that has to adjust whenever a key contributor is unavailable.. Even when the team has depth. missing a player like Anthony can affect the balance of at-bats. the defensive assignments. and the way late-inning matchups are managed.
In the next series against the Orioles, those adjustments become even more significant.. Baltimore’s games tend to reward teams that can keep pressure on the ball with consistent offense and clean execution.. That means Boston will have to cover for Anthony’s absence quickly. whether the plan is to reshuffle the lineup. lean more heavily on other hitters. or rework roles in the field so the team doesn’t lose rhythm.
There’s also a human side to this update that fans will recognize.. Anthony is not speaking from the calm of “everything is fine. ” but from the measured confidence of someone who has been through injury before and knows how recovery timelines can shift.. His mention of perspective from the oblique situation signals an understanding that the body can change its mind after an initially encouraging day.
For now. the Red Sox’s most direct question is simple: can Anthony move from treatment back to full work without setbacks?. If he responds well over the next several days. Boston could get a crucial return that helps keep the lineup steady as the season moves on.. If not. the club will need to keep its flexibility while trying to avoid turning an upper back issue into a longer-term problem.