When Anthony made his MLB debut on June 9, the Red Sox were 32-35 and fourth in the AL East. They immediately turned things around as soon as he arrived, winning eight of their next 10 games and surging into playoff contention.
Boston went 44-27 with Anthony in the lineup, as he helped offset the loss of Rafael Devers. The 21-year-old showcased his elite hitting skills and plate discipline, batting .292/.396/.463 with eight homers, 32 RBI, 40 walks and 48 runs.
Anthony also played good defense in the outfield and ran the bases well, contributing to his 3.1 WAR. Despite having his season end prematurely in early September because of an oblique injury, he was a big reason why the Red Sox made the playoffs for the first time in four years.
With Anthony being named one of three AL Rookie of the Year finalists last week, Alex Cora spoke about his all-around skills and impact on the team during a recent appearance on MLB Network.
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“He’s a great at-bat. He’s a great baserunner,” Cora said. “The kid became a monster in the outfield. He was a plus defender. A good kid who understands what wearing that jersey means.”
Anthony was rewarded with a historic eight-year, $130 million extension in August, keeping him in Boston for the foreseeable future. His career is just getting started, so Cora’s excited to keep managing him and see what he can accomplish.
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“If you look at his season, you know who he is, you know what he’s gonna do,” Cora added. “I’m just very happy that I’m gonna be able to manage him at least for the next two years.”
