21-year-old Boston Red Sox outfielder makes statement in 15-1 exhibition rout of the San Francisco Giants.
Roman Anthony didn’t ease into the moment.
He launched himself into it.
Batting seventh and playing left field for Team USA in a pre-World Baseball Classic exhibition against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday, the Red Sox outfielder turned his third at-bat in a USA uniform into a statement.
With Cal Raleigh aboard after a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, Anthony jumped on a 93.8 mph fastball from right-hander Blade Tidwell, and sent it 394 feet into the right-field concourse at Scottsdale Stadium.
It left the bat at 101.4 mph. It was gone the moment it connected.
On the ESPN broadcast, USA starter Logan Webb was in the middle of an in-game interview when Anthony’s swing cut through the desert air.
“Look at that one,” Webb said, almost laughing. “I’m really excited to watch this guy too.”
So is everyone else.
Anthony finished 1-for-3 in his Team USA debut, with the two-run homer serving as the highlight in a 15-1 victory.
Mar 3, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Team USA third baseman Alex Bregman (2) celebrates with teammate Roman Anthony after hitting a home run against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)Paul Skenes struck out four over three innings to set the tone on the mound, and former Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman added a solo shot of his own as the Americans flexed early.
For Anthony, though, this wasn’t just about a swing. It was about the stage.
He was a late addition to the roster, stepping in after Arizona’s Corbin Carroll suffered a broken hamate bone. Just three years ago, Anthony was in the stands in Miami watching Team USA fall to Japan in the 2023 WBC final. Now he’s sharing an outfield mix that includes Aaron Judge, Byron Buxton and Pete Crow-Armstrong, competing for innings under the brightest international lights the sport offers.
He’s only 71 games into his major league career.
And yet, nothing about Tuesday looked rushed.
Anthony is expected to handle a significant share of the reps in left field for the United States, even with the star power around him. That trust says as much as the home run. The swing itself was vintage Anthony - quick hands, balanced lower half, pull-side authority. The kind of contact that doesn’t need wind or walls.
Last month, he admitted this opportunity wasn’t something he had put a strict timeline on.
“Getting to represent the USA at any time would be more than a blessing,” Anthony told the media when he was selected to replace Carroll. “I don’t know if I necessarily thought that it would be this time around, but just excited to do it.”
Excited looked like an understatement Tuesday afternoon.
In his first taste of international play, Roman Anthony didn’t just blend in with Team USA’s stars.
He introduced himself.
Aug 22, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Roman Anthony (19) prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. (Gregory Fisher/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.