How Red Sox's Potential Trades Would Affect Roman Anthony
If you're in the mood for countdowns, there are 160 days until Roman Anthony takes the field for the Boston Red Sox again.
Anthony was a joy to watch this season, a rare case of a No. 1 prospect arriving in the majors and fulfilling every possible expectation one could have had for his performance. In 71 games, he put up an .859 OPS and 3.1 bWAR, while the Red Sox went 44-27 with his bat in the lineup.
After an oblique injury cruelly ended Anthony's season on Sept. 2, the 21-year-old has to be itching to get back onto the field. But one interesting subplot is that the Red Sox don't really know yet which position he'll be playing.
Anthony's role could heavily depend on outfield trade
Anthony flip-flopped between the two corner outfield positions during his time on the major league roster, and that could be the case again next season.
But, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive, Anthony won't really have a concrete idea of where he'll spend most of his time until if and when the Red Sox make trade decisions on his counterparts, Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu.
"(Anthony) will be an everyday player and presumably the leadoff hitter against both righties and lefties," Smith wrote. "But whether he plays left field, right field or a combination of both positions will depend on how the Red Sox’ offseason unfolds.
"If the Red Sox trade Jarren Duran, Anthony would be the everyday left fielder. If the Red Sox trade Abreu, Anthony would likely be used every day in right field. If the Red Sox keep both Duran and Abreu, Anthony likely would move back and forth between left field and right field depending on who sits in a given game."
Smith is hardly the first person to bring up the potential of Duran or Abreu being traded, as Ceddanne Rafaela has a fairly strong grip on the center field job (though it wouldn't be totally shocking to see him traded as well).
What matters most with regards to Anthony is his recovery this offseason and his readiness to get back to crushing balls on opening day. But it's interesting to note that a player whose future is viewed as one of the most exciting aspects of the team doesn't quite know where he'll be playing.
Analysts are starting to see what Raiders fans already knew about Geno Smith
The Las Vegas Raiders have not had a great start to the 2025 NFL season, as they sit at 2-4 after beating the Tennessee Titans in Week 6. It marked their first victory since the season opener, snapping a losing skid that lasted for over a month.
Many of their issues have had to do with an underwhelming offense and the struggles of Geno Smith. He has cost the Raiders two games alone with three-interception performances. Turnovers have been a major problem for the veteran quarterback, as he leads the league with ten interceptions.
While Las Vegas' coaching staff's faith in Smith has not wavered, it is clear that the franchise should be in the market for its quarterback of the future this offseason. An NFL analyst recently made a claim about his future that will not surprise Raiders fans in the slightest.
NFL analyst makes a prediction on Geno Smith's future that is not surprising to Raiders fans
The Raiders' offseason trade to land Smith was largely met with positive reviews. The move has not paid off, however, as he has been among the worst quarterbacks in the league through six games. Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon labeled him as one of the players with the most to prove over the remainder of the season.
"The 35-year-old has his work cut out for him trying to prove he isn't just a bridge quarterback for a team that may target a signal-caller in the first round of next year's draft, but he's done an abysmal job for one of the league's lowest-scoring teams," Gagnon wrote.
Gagnon does not believe Smith will be able to turn things around and predicted that he is in his final year as an NFL starter.
"Injuries have been a factor, but that alone doesn't get Smith off the hook," Gagnon wrote. "He's only been an average starter the last two-and-a-half years and is living off an aberrational standout 2022 campaign in Seattle. I doubt we will see him in a regular starting role again after 2025."
RELATED: Michael Mayer said what every Raiders fan needed to hear about Geno Smith
Raiders fans are certainly not shocked by the prediction, as some have already called for the team to make a quarterback change. While it appears unlikely that Smith will be benched, it is apparent that he should not be in the team's long-term plans.
In addition to leading the league in interceptions, he ranks 16th in passing yards per game, tied for 21st in touchdowns, 20th in completion percentage, 31st in passer rating and 27th in quarterback rating. Cam Ward is the only player who has played all six games and thrown fewer touchdowns than Smith.
Although he has a relationship with head coach Pete Carroll that dates back to their time with the Seattle Seahawks, the quarterback has not looked the same in 2025. The more he struggles, the higher Las Vegas' chances of drafting his replacement become.
While it is unclear who will be under center for the Raiders in 2026, most fans would agree with Gagnon's assessment that it should not be Smith.
