FORT MYERS, Fla. – An vital piece of the puzzle that’s the 2026 Purple Sox was put into place Saturday morning when supervisor Alex Cora named Roman Anthony leadoff hitter.
Anthony impressed general in his 71-game rookie season final 12 months, however he proved an particularly sturdy table-setter. He made 27 begins on the high of the lineup (31 video games complete), and hit .336, received on base at a .439 on-base clip and slugged .564 with 26 runs and 17 RBI. He collected 37 hits, together with 5 doubles, a triple, and 6 house runs, drew 19 walks and struck out 34 instances.
As the primary at-bat of video games, particularly, Anthony went 8 for 25 (.320) with two house runs, a stroll and 7 strikeouts.
“I felt actually snug within the leadoff spot final 12 months,” Anthony stated. “I feel it’s one thing for me that I take with loads of pleasure, getting the boys going, and attempting to get on base.”
Anthony will have fun his twenty second birthday on Could 13. Not often is a participant so younger handed such an vital function. The latest Purple Sox leadoff hitters youthful than 22, in addition to Anthony final season, had been Jonathan Araúz (2020) and Mookie Betts (2014). Different notable 21-and-younger Purple Sox who hit leadoff embrace Dwight Evans, Tony Conigliaro, and Bobby Doerr, although it doesn’t occur usually. In franchise historical past, essentially the most video games within the leadoff spot by a hitter youthful than 22 had been Doerr’s 86 in 1937; Anthony’s 31 (27 begins) already rank fourth in franchise historical past.
In keeping with StatHead, solely 5 gamers youthful than 22 have spent greater than 100 video games within the leadoff spot, in single or cumulative seasons, since 2000: Carl Crawford, Elvis Andrus, Mike Trout, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Jackson Holliday.
Cora pointed to Mookie Betts as examples of energy hitters who’ve discovered success within the function.
“George Springer, Mookie Betts,” the supervisor defined. “They’ve finished it earlier than, setting the tempo. Kyle Schwarber, too. It may be 1-0 very fast, or it’s a top quality at-bat.”
“If you are able to do some harm in that first inning or simply rating some runs,” Anthony stated. “I feel that’s big in a baseball sport, type of altering the momentum. … It’s an enormous at-bat. Not one which I ever take with no consideration, so I’m wanting ahead to it.”
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