The Boston Red Sox replaced injured outfielder Roman Anthony on their wild-card series roster with infielder Curtis Mead on Wednesday ahead of Game 2 against the New York Yankees.
Anthony underwent imaging in Boston on Wednesday morning that displayed he had “additional damage to some muscles” in his right hand and wrist, Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said prior to Game 2 of the American League series.
Anthony had an injury to the same hand earlier this season that caused him to miss nearly four months. He returned to action Aug. 30.
Major League Baseball approved the roster change after reviewing the medical information. Anthony will be ineligible to return if the Red Sox reach the AL Division Series, but he will be eligible to play if Boston advances to the AL Championship Series.
Anthony started Tuesday’s 9-0 loss in Game 1 batting leadoff as the designated hitter and struck out in both at-bats — on checked swings — against New York’s Cam Schlittler. The hand injury flared up and he couldn’t continue. Anthony was replaced by Andruw Monasterio in the sixth inning.
Tracy was unsure if the 22-year-old Anthony might require hand surgery.
“I don’t know the answer to that yet,” Tracy said. “I just know that the imaging shows more than what was originally there. So as far as what treatment plans are in the future, haven’t gotten there.
“Just midday today I first found out, yeah, there’s more there that we’re not going to have him. We’ll figure it out as we move along.”
Anthony batted .245 with five homers and 15 RBIs in 55 games.
Mead was acquired from the Washington Nationals a few days ahead of the trade deadline and sustained a broken left wrist in his first game with the team.
He was hit by a pitch from Athletics right-hander Jack Perkins in the fourth inning of his debut on July 27.
Mead, 25, hit .254 with 17 homers, 17 doubles and 48 RBIs — all career highs – in 87 games with the Nationals before the trade.
