Roman Anthony and Trevor Story reinstated by Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox reinstated outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story to the active roster on Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, optioning Mickey Gasper and Anthony Siegler to Triple-A Worcester. Both stars return from injured-list stints dating to May as Boston faces the Yankees in a pivotal wild-card race.
Roman Anthony, 22, had not played in the majors since May 4, when he tore a ligament in his right ring finger on a check swing and was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 7. After setbacks slowed his recovery, the Red Sox shifted his rehab to the Fort Myers spring training complex for more than a month and a half before he returned to game action with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester.
Key Takeaways
- Roman Anthony and Trevor Story were both reinstated Sunday ahead of the Red Sox–Yankees series finale.
- Anthony missed roughly four months with a torn ligament in his right ring finger; Story had sports hernia surgery after landing on the IL May 16.
- Mickey Gasper and Anthony Siegler were optioned to Worcester to clear roster spots.
- Boston entered Sunday three games behind New York for the top American League wild-card spot with 26 regular-season games remaining.
- Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow said Anthony's extended Fort Myers rehab was not punishment.
Why did Roman Anthony miss four months?
Anthony's injury initially looked short-term, but setbacks and slow improvement kept him off the field. Before the injury, he hit .229 with a .675 OPS in 30 games. During his rehab, he went 7-for-25 with two home runs and two doubles across eight games with Worcester and Portland, according to The Athletic.
Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow told WEEI's The Greg Hill Show that moving Anthony to Fort Myers was a joint decision aimed at getting him back faster, not discipline. "We were not punishing Roman. Roman doesn't feel punished," Breslow said. Anthony himself called the Florida summer rehab "a grind" but said it made him appreciate being back with teammates.
What did Trevor Story's return mean for Boston?
Story, 33, landed on the injured list May 16 with a sports hernia and had surgery about a week later. In 41 games before the injury, he hit .206 with a .547 OPS and later said the ailment limited him on both sides of the ball. He went 6-for-35 with five singles and a double in 10 rehab games with Worcester.
Interim manager Chad Tracy confirmed both players traveled to New York and cleared medical protocols before the official roster move. First baseman Willson Contreras told reporters the lineup needed Story and Anthony while recognizing the contributions of players who filled in during their absences.
How does this affect the Red Sox playoff push?
The reinstatements arrived as Boston's offense struggled through a critical stretch at Yankee Stadium. After splitting a Saturday doubleheader, the Red Sox fell 9-2 in the nightcap, leaving them at 74-62 and three games behind New York (77-59) for the top wild-card spot, per WCVB.
A Sunday win would give Boston the season series over the Yankees and home-field advantage in a potential wild-card tiebreaker. With just 26 games left, Story and Anthony face immediate pressure to boost an offense that had been shut out in consecutive games before Saturday's split. For more on how data-driven roster decisions are reshaping sports, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage.