With Boston Red Sox star Roman Anthony getting a new role in 2026 as he adds more years to his resume, he is one part of the team's crowded outfield. As the Red Sox have an opportunity to handle the outfield with care, manager Alex Cora would reveal the current plan involving Anthony, Masataka Yoshida, and more.
Besides Anthony and Yoshida, Boston's outfield also consists of Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, and Ceddane Rafaela, who are all valued as key members of the team, but with only three outfielders to use at one time. Cora would speak to reporters on Saturday about the current plan.
“We'll see how it plays out,” Cora said, according to Jen McCaffrey. “[Duran] is gonna play center, soon, the day Ceddanne doesn't play, and we got Thursday off. It's not easy. Whoever thinks that this is easy to move them around, they're wrong. I'm going to say it like that. It's not that easy, but I'll make it work. I believe Masa [Yoshida] is going to play three out of the next five and then everybody will sit — some of them.”
Red Sox's Alex Cora continues talking about the outfield plans
Cora would continue talking about how all of the outfielders are good at what they do, with him admitting that at this point, Yoshida is “average,” but the plan isn't always to stick him at the designated hitter (DH) spot.
“But as far as, like, positioning, they're all good outfielders,” Cora said. “I think the only one who's average is Masa, and we believe in Houston, he can play left field there. And that's one of the things that you don't think about. Like, you cannot just DH Masa because somebody's not playing, and when Masa is DHing, we have to take one of the other guys out of the game. So we have to be patient with it. And that's the reason we need him to play left. And he will play.”
At any rate, it remains to be seen how the Red Sox's outfield changes throughout the season.
