​Roman Anthony is growing impatient with watching from the bench as he recovers from a finger injury. The Red Sox outfielder told WEEI’s Rob Bradford on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast that the recovery has been “a long, long slow process,” and that the absence from the field has left him frustrated. He described the period as a rollercoaster of two steps forward and two steps back, noting how it’s tough to stay positive when the team leaves on road trips and he misses being with the guys on a daily basis.
Anthony tore a ligament near the base of his right ring finger in May during an at-bat against the Tigers. Initially thought to avoid the injured list, he’s since been placed on the 60-day IL as he continues rehab, with the pace of recovery hampered by persistent pain. The 22-year-old acknowledged the disappointment but said he’s learning a lot through the process.
Despite still feeling pain when swinging, he has been seen throwing before games, and he reported progress in his grip and strength, feeling more support for the hand and ring finger. There’s no timeline for his return yet, so he remains a spectator for now. “Being a competitor, being a baseball player my entire life, it’s all I know,” he said. “The most simple thing is that I’m not out there. And so sitting here, watching games, I’m not meant to watch games. And that’s the way I look at it. I want to be out there. I want to be helping the boys. I want to be part of it. I want to play baseball. I’m over sitting here and waiting on a finger.”