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Red Sox Tap Roman Anthony as Primary Leadoff for 2026

Boston is banking on his on-base skills to anchor an offense reshaped by Alex Bregman’s departure.

Overview

  • Manager Alex Cora signaled Roman Anthony will be Boston’s primary leadoff hitter, and Anthony said he is “all in” with the assignment.
  • Anthony’s 2025 rookie line was .292/.396/.463 with a 140 wRC+ across 71 games, reinforcing his on-base profile for the top spot.
  • Analytical forecasts cited in coverage project a strong sophomore season, including a FanGraphs-estimated .367 OBP and 115–124 wRC+ ranges.
  • Ken Rosenthal reported the club still looks at least one bat short, framing heightened expectations by noting talk of Ortiz-level impact around the newly anointed leadoff man.
  • Analysis from Over the Monster endorsed Anthony in the role and contrasted his on-base edge with Jarren Duran’s 2025 leadoff results.