Roman Anthony, who was in consideration for American League Rookie of the Year before getting injured, is heading back to Florida, but he hasn't even resumed baseball activities yet.

The Boston Red Sox will open up the American League playoffs on Tuesday night on the road at the New York Yankees. Boston earned the No. 5 seed after a third-place finish in the American League East. New York was the No. 4 after finishing tied in the division with the Toronto Blue Jays, but losing out on tiebreakers.

First pitch is set for 6:08 p.m. ET as Garrett Crochet (BOS) pitches against Max Fried (NYY).

For Boston, it's their first playoff appearance since 2021 and they are looking for their first World Series title since 2018. New York made the World Series last season, but hasn't won a Fall Classic since 2009.

Boston is bringing plenty of star power to New York in the forms of Crochet, closer Aroldis Chapman, Jarren Duran, Alex Bregman and Trevor Story, but one guy they won't have is rookie outfielder Roman Anthony.

The outfielder has been on the injured list since Sept. 3 with a left oblique strain and there was hope that he'd be back for the playoffs, but now it appears it's only an option if the Red Sox advance deep into October. Rob Bradford of WEEI says that Anthony is headed to the team's complex in Florida, but he hasn't started baseball workouts yet.

And Boston won't rush him back, either. As much as they would love to have his services in these playoffs, he's one of the future faces of the franchise. Signed to a nine-year extension worth $130.5 million earlier this season, he's of great importance to the Sox moving forward. Ranked the No. 1 prospect in baseball at the time of his promotion in June, he hit .292 with a .396 on-base percentage in 71 games. He had eight home runs, 32 RBIs and four stolen bases.

In his absence, the Red Sox still have Duran, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela to man the outfield, with Rob Refsynder capable of playing out there as well.

Anthony is a former second-round pick of the Red Sox out of the Florida high school ranks (2021).

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