Roman Anthony returning from injury for Red Sox ahead of September push

Roman Anthony is returning from injury to bolster the Red Sox roster ahead of their September playoff push, CBS Sports reported. Boston enters Sunday three games behind the Yankees for the top wild-card berth.

The timing aligns with the calendar's most forgiving roster window: September 1 brings the expansion from 26 to 28 active players, and the Red Sox appear poised to use at least one of those slots on their top prospect as they navigate the final month of the regular season.

What happened

Anthony is expected to rejoin the Red Sox roster ahead of September, per the report. The nature and duration of the injury were not disclosed, nor was a specific activation date provided.

The Red Sox also have Trevor Story returning from injury, the report noted, though no details on his timeline or the injury itself were included.

Why it matters

Boston sits 78-65, holding the second wild-card spot with a six-game cushion over the cut line but trailing the Yankees by three games for the top berth. The club has won three straight and faces a September schedule that opens with a Sunday finale at Yankee Stadium before returning home to host Seattle for two games starting Monday.

Anthony's return adds depth to a roster that will soon have two extra spots to fill. The September expansion is a familiar ritual—clubs promote prospects for a first look, add bullpen arms, or simply carry an extra bat for the stretch run—but for a team in the thick of the wild-card race, the calculus shifts. Every roster decision now carries postseason weight.

Story's return, whenever it materializes, would restore an established presence to the infield. The report did not specify whether either player would be active immediately or require a rehab assignment first.

The active roster expands from 26 to 28 players on September 1, a league-wide adjustment that runs through the end of the regular season. The two additional spots allow clubs to deepen their benches and bullpens without sacrificing flexibility, though postseason rosters revert to 26. For Boston, the timing could hardly be better: the expansion arrives just as two players are working their way back from injury.

A rehab assignment can last up to 20 days for position players before the club must activate the player or make another roster decision. Whether Anthony or Story will need that runway remains unaddressed in the report.

Where the club stands

Boston's 78-65 record has them on a three-game winning streak heading into Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium, where Ranger Suarez is the probable starter opposite Will Warren. The series finale offers a chance to trim the gap for the top wild-card berth before the calendar flips.

The Red Sox return to Fenway Park on Monday to open a two-game set against Seattle. Payton Tolle is slated to pitch the opener against George Kirby, with Jedixson Paez scheduled for Tuesday against Bryan Woo. The Mariners series marks the beginning of a home-heavy September stretch, a scheduling quirk that could prove decisive in a tight race.

The wild-card cushion—six games over the cut line—is comfortable but not insurmountable. September's expanded roster allows Boston to carry additional depth without sacrificing flexibility, a luxury that becomes more valuable as the innings accumulate and the margin for error shrinks.

The Red Sox sit third in the AL East, 7.5 games behind the division leader. The wild-card path is the clearer route, and the club's position—second in the standings, six games clear of elimination—reflects a season that has kept them in contention deep into August.

What we don't know yet

The report did not specify the nature of Anthony's injury, how long he was sidelined, or whether he will require a minor-league rehab assignment before activation. No activation date was provided for either Anthony or Story.

Story's injury details and timeline remain similarly unclear. Whether he is ready for immediate activation or still working his way back through a rehab program was not addressed.

The Red Sox have not announced either move, and the report did not indicate whether the club has made corresponding roster decisions to accommodate the returns.

How Anthony will be deployed once he arrives is another open question. A prospect making his major-league debut in the middle of a playoff race faces a different set of expectations than one arriving in April or during a rebuild. The Red Sox could ease him into the lineup gradually or hand him a regular role, depending on how his skills translate and what the roster needs in the moment.

What to watch

Anthony's activation, whenever it occurs, will mark his major-league debut and the arrival of one of baseball's most closely watched prospects. How the Red Sox deploy him—whether as a regular in the lineup or in a more limited role to ease the transition—will shape both his September and the club's offensive depth.

Story's return would add a veteran presence to an infield that has navigated his absence for an unspecified period. His timeline remains the larger question mark; a rehab assignment would push his return deeper into September, while immediate activation would suggest he is already game-ready.

The September 1 roster expansion gives Boston room to maneuver, but the wild-card race leaves little room for experimentation. The Yankees series concludes Sunday, and the Mariners arrive Monday. By the time the calendar turns, the Red Sox will have two extra roster spots and, if the report holds, at least one returning player ready to fill them.

The three-game gap to the top wild-card berth is narrow enough to close in a strong week, wide enough to require consistent execution. Boston's schedule offers opportunity: the home stand against Seattle is followed by more games at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox can control their environment and lean on their crowd. But the margin remains thin, and every game carries the weight of October implications.

Whether Anthony and Story are in the lineup for the Seattle series or arrive later in the month will depend on medical clearance, roster mechanics, and the club's internal timeline. The report suggests both are close. The standings suggest Boston needs them.