Wednesday may have been the day the Boston Red Sox lost their seven-game winning streak, but that won’t be the event by which the day gets remembered.
The Red Sox brokered an eight-year, $130 million extension with rookie superstar Roman Anthony, including a series of escalators and a club option that can take the worth up to $230 million through 2034. For a 21-year-old who entered the day with 46 games of Major League Baseball experience, it was a heck of an accomplishment.
Obviously, $130 million is nothing to scoff at, but Anthony’s talents are so immense that he could have made a killing in free agency five or six years from today. Apart from the obvious financial security, what made him choose to sign that offer?
In a press conference on Wednesday, with his family, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, and principal owner John Henry all present, Anthony focused on a key reason for his decision: He wants to be right where he is, in Boston.
“I couldn’t think of a better city to play in [for] the next eight to nine years of my life,” Anthony said, per Molly Burkhardt of MLB.com. “And I’m super excited. I want to thank all the fans who show up every day and continue to support us regardless of the outcome.
“It’s really just a special place to play and a special place to show up every single day. I couldn’t be more excited for this and couldn’t be more thankful for everyone in this room and everyone who’s helped me get here today.”
Fenway Park has been a special place to play this year, and the Red Sox have been cooking there since Anthony made his major league debut in June. Before Wednesday night’s 7-3 defeat against the Kansas City Royals, Boston had won 16 of their last 18 home games.
Anthony went 0-for-4 in his first game after the extension, but one of those outs was a fly ball to deep right field that left his bat at 105 mph, and would have been a home run in all 29 other ballparks, according to Baseball Savant.
For at least eight more years after this one, Anthony will have plenty of chances to collect more long balls. Boston can feel comfortable calling him their own, and that’s something to celebrate.
“When the offer came through, it was something that I wanted to move quick on,” Anthony said, per Jen McCaffrey of MLB.com. “There was no doubt that this is where I wanted to play baseball for a long time.”
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