(BOSTON) — Red Sox Manager Alex Cora has broken his calculated silence on the team’s top prospect, Roman Anthony, issuing a thinly veiled ultimatum to the front office that strongly suggests a franchise-rocking roster shakeup is imminent.
Cora’s comments, made during a radio appearance, confirm that the team’s long-standing outfield logjam is officially unsustainable and must be resolved before the 2026 season begins.
The “Ultimatum” Over Anthony
The 21-year-old Anthony, despite missing the final month of 2025 with an oblique injury, cemented his status as a budding star in a 71-game rookie sample. Yet, the Red Sox’s glut of outfielders (including Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu) meant the team lacked the consistent, everyday playing time Anthony needed.
Cora acknowledged this pressure, admitting the team failed to properly prepare the roster for Anthony’s arrival.
“I see him hitting at the top of the lineup,” Cora stated, making his intention clear. “It’s gonna be a debate if we’re gonna lead him off, hit him second or hit him fourth. We’ll see how the roster looks when we get to Cincinnati next year for Opening Day.”
The phrase “We’ll see how the roster looks” is the ultimatum. It tells Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow that the current roster, built on a surplus of talented outfielders, is no longer acceptable. The Red Sox cannot maximize Anthony’s potential unless one of the established outfielders is moved.
The Franchise-Rocking Shakeup
Cora’s public declaration ratchets up the pressure on Breslow to execute a major trade. Analysts believe the move is not about talent, but about fitting the right pieces around the franchise’s new core.
The Obvious Trade Candidates: With Anthony locked into an everyday spot, the pressure is squarely on one of the other outfielders to be traded. Wilyer Abreu and Jarren Duran are known to have high trade value and could be the centerpiece of a deal to acquire the elite starting pitcher the Red Sox desperately need.
A New Era: By tying Anthony’s daily role to the roster’s configuration, Cora has signaled that the team is ready to fully transition into the “Roman Anthony Era.” The development and production of the young star must now take priority over the established roles of veterans.
The coming weeks promise a volatile market in Boston. Cora has given the front office its marching orders: clear the path for the new icon, or risk the discontent of a fanbase that sees Anthony as the true key to their future.
