Roman Anthony didn’t waste any time putting his stamp on the big leagues. After an 0-for-4 debut on Monday, the top prospect in baseball delivered in the clutch Tuesday night, ripping a two-run double in his first at-bat to spark the Boston Red Sox to a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

The 21-year-old came to the plate in the bottom of the first with runners on second and third and two outs. Down 1-2 in the count, Anthony stayed poised and reached out to connect with a changeup well outside the strike zone from Rays starter Ryan Pepiot. The left-handed hitter laced it down the left-field line, sending it 92.4 mph off the bat and into the corner for his first major league hit and a go-ahead two-run double.

“It means everything… they’ve believed in me every step of the way,” Anthony said about having his family in attendance for the milestone moment. His parents, seated near the Red Sox dugout, erupted with emotion as the ball rolled to the wall — his mom, Lori, visibly crying as her son stood at second base.

Roman Anthony gets on the board with his first MLB, Red Sox hit and RBI

Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony (19) makes the catch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning at Fenway Park.
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That swing proved to be all the Red Sox needed. The two-run double gave Boston an early lead they never relinquished. Anthony, filling in for the injured Wilyer Abreu, also flashed the leather in right field, making a sliding grab in the sixth to help preserve the win.

In just his second MLB game, Anthony finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a strikeout, showing both the poise and promise that made him the game’s most hyped prospect. He became the latest Red Sox rookie to make a splash in a year where Boston is looking for a spark.

“It’s been a long time coming,” one teammate was heard saying in the dugout, echoing what fans and coaches have felt for weeks. Anthony’s call-up came after a monster stretch in Triple-A Worcester, including a jaw-dropping 497-foot grand slam just days before his promotion — a blast longer than any MLB homer this season.

His first big-league knock also came on one of the most challenging pitches a Red Sox hitter has turned into extra bases in recent years. According to Statcast, the ball was 1.30 feet outside the center of the plate, making it the furthest outside pitch to be driven for an extra-base hit by a Boston player since Rafael Devers did so on July 7, 2024.

With the win, Boston improved to 33-36, still battling to climb out of the AL East cellar. If Anthony can build on Tuesday’s performance, he may just be the spark the Red Sox lineup desperately needs. The moment belongs to him — and to the family who cheered him every step of the way.