The Boston Red Sox have a strong 93.5% chance of getting into the playoffs as per FanGraphs. Every swing and pitch carries enormous weight in these final days of the regular season. Amid this, their rookie sparkplug, Roman Anthony, who was placed on the 10-day IL, just received another update from the front office.

Anthony’s injury timeline reveals a troubling pattern that began with what seemed like a routine check swing against the Cleveland Guardians on September 2. He hurt his left oblique and showed signs of pain after striking out. What started as minor discomfort has turned into a significant issue, impacting the Red Sox’s playoff chances. And now Breslow’s latest comments don’t offer much hope for a quick return.

Craig Breslow provided an assessment of Roman Anthony’s injury during Tuesday’s pregame comments in Toronto. “Making progress … getting a little more comfortable every day. It was an injury that we knew would take some time to heal and get back on the field.” He further stated, “When it first happened, you could look at him and tell that he was in quite a bit of discomfort and pain. That has subsided, but there’s still quite a bit of room to get to in terms of baseball activities.” 

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse moment, considering how well Anthony was playing.

Anthony has played 71 games this season, and has hit .292/.396/.463 with 8 home runs, 32 RBIs, 18 doubles, and an .859 OPS. These figures made him one of Boston’s most reliable offensive players. He showcased impressive Statcast metrics, including an average exit velocity of 94.5 mph and a hard-hit percentage of about 60%. In his second major league game, he made an impact by getting his first MLB hit—a two-run double.

And Roman Anthony’s absence from the Boston Red Sox lineup has significantly impacted their offense, causing struggles to score consistently. They’ve had several games with fewer than three runs. Meanwhile, Alex Bregman is also struggling, with an OPS of .606 as of September 15, one of the lowest in his career. The lineup looks weak without Anthony, and Bregman’s hitting issues add to the challenges.

Even Nat Gordon noticed it. “26th in homers since Roman Anthony went down… If they had Roman Anthony in the lineup.. the Red Sox lineup just has not done, especially since Roman Anthony went down… We do need to see more out of this lineup.”

The timing of this offensive drought couldn’t be worse, as the race for the playoffs is getting tighter every day. As of September 22, Boston was only slightly ahead of several other teams. The Astros and Guardians are close behind, while the Yankees are in first place in the Wild Card rankings with an 89–68 record (.567) and Boston is in second place with an 85–71 record (.545).

Not having Roman Anthony available (or only being able to help out a little) may change the scenario in such a high-stakes situation. As Craig Breslow and Boston’s medical staff race against the clock, the BoSox need to find methods to fill the offensive gap, or they might lose all hope of making the playoffs.

Anthony’s value extends far beyond the numbers, and insiders are not shying away from stating it.

Cotillo calls Roman Anthony Boston’s MVP, even in the absence

Boston’s playoff chances are getting tighter, and without Roman Anthony, things aren’t easy. However, even in his absence, insiders called him “MVP,” which exactly shows his importance in the lineup.

On the Fantasy Baseball Beat podcast, Cotillo mentioned, “I think [Roman Anthony] is the MVP of the Red Sox’s season. He basically led them for an extremely long stretch in which they were one of the better teams in baseball, and when he hasn’t been on the roster, they’ve been mediocre or average.”

The Red Sox were 46–27 with him on the field, which shows how much he helped the team.

After the Rafael Devers trade, Craig Breslow, the team’s chief baseball officer, made it clear that elite prospects like Anthony wouldn’t be asked to “save” the squad. But Anthony did just that, bringing a lot of offense and strong defense. His six outs above average and eight defensive runs saved showed how he helped the team in more than one way.

When Anthony played, the ballclub owned a .630 winning percentage. Even though Garrett Crochet and Trevor Story had great seasons, Anthony’s mix of hitting, fielding, and timing made him a strong candidate for MVP. But now that he is out and might take time, can the club offense make it to the playoffs after 2021?