The Boston Red Sox are no strangers to generating excitement, but the arrival of outfielder Roman Anthony has taken fan fervor to new heights.
On Monday, June 9, the 21-year-old top prospect made his Major League Baseball debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, and the impact was immediate—not just on the field but in the record books.
As NESN’s Tom Caron reported on the 310 To Left podcast, “The story right now is Roman Anthony. Monday (Anthony’s debut), I’m told, was the most viewed event in the streaming history of the NESN app, passing Opening Day this year.”
This unprecedented viewership emphasizes Anthony’s status as a player of intense intrigue and a beacon of hope for a Red Sox team seeking a spark in a challenging 2025 season.
Anthony’s debut on NESN 360, the network’s direct-to-consumer streaming platform, drew an 18 percent larger audience than the previous record set on Opening Day 2025, with over 80 percent of subscribers tuning in at some point during the game.
There’s a ton of hype surrounding the talented Anthony, who entered the season as MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect. His barrage of towering home runs in Triple-A Worcester this season has had fans clamoring for his call-up.
When Wilyer Abreu landed on the injured list with an oblique strain, the Red Sox seized the opportunity, and Anthony delivered.
Though he went 0-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in his debut, Anthony showed his potential the next night, lacing a two-run double for his first MLB hit in a 3-1 win over the Rays.
Anthony’s defensive miscue in the fifth inning of his debut—a misplayed grounder that allowed a run—was quickly overshadowed by his accountability, with manager Alex Cora praising his composure.
“Just can’t happen,” Anthony told the media, vowing to learn from the mistake. This maturity, combined with his raw talent, has Red Sox Nation buzzing.
