Red Sox Rookie Roman Anthony Exits Guardians Game With Apparent Back Injury

Roman Anthony, the Boston Red Sox's star rookie and leadoff hitter, left Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians due to an apparent back injury. The 21-year-old grabbed at his lower left back after striking out in the fourth inning and did not return to the field, with Nate Eaton replacing him in right field. Anthony had previously missed two games in early August with mid-back tightness but had maintained strong offensive production since his June promotion, with a .859 OPS and 71 games played. His injury raises concerns as the Red Sox aim to challenge the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL East lead and prepare for an important series against the New York Yankees starting September 12. The team has not yet provided detailed information on the severity of the injury, but Anthony is currently considered day-to-day. Red Sox fans and analysts are anxious about the impact of this setback on both Anthony's Rookie of the Year campaign and Boston's playoff push.