MLB Insider Defends Roman Anthony’s Extension Decision

No one is criticizing the Boston Red Sox for extending Roman Anthony — it was a universally lauded move.

But did Anthony make a mistake by agreeing to an extension so early in his career? FanSided’s MLB insider Robert Murray talked about this on Saturday while appearing as a guest on a new episode of the “Foul Territory” podcast, which Alanna Rizzo hosted.

“The Roman Anthony extension … sent shockwaves throughout baseball, because it was not something that anybody really anticipated,” Murray said.

“As soon as the trade deadline ended up getting done, the Boston Red Sox were very aggressive in trying to get Roman Anthony extended, and from what I gather, from start to finish, it may have taken about 48 hours.”

“For the Red Sox … (they get) Anthony … (for) $130 million, which could end up being a huge steal in the long run,” Murray continued. “And for Anthony, it (keeps) him in Boston for at least eight seasons, perhaps nine with a club option. For all sides, it’s a good move. I know there’s some controversy, and some people who think it maybe wasn’t the best move for Anthony, but you can’t fault the guy for taking $130 million.”

Anthony is now committed to Boston until at least 2033. Anthony will have a club option in 2034, at which point he’ll be 30 years old. Critics of Anthony’s decision to agree to an extension now have suggested that he’ll miss out on potential gaudy free agency earnings he could have landed had he not extended with Boston. It’s a risk-reward decision that young superstars often face in sports, and ultimately, Anthony and his camp chose to err on the side of caution, which, by the way, happened to guarantee Anthony generational wealth.

“Some folks are saying, ‘Why would Roman Anthony do this?’” Murray continued. “He’s just 21 years old, he’s leaving money on the table. Expected to be one of the big superstars of the game. But you know what? He said yes, and I guarantee you it wasn’t just him making this decision. … He talked about it with his family. He talked about it with his agents.”

Murray also asserted that Anthony, health pending, will have the opportunity to land a monstrous second deal in 2033 or 2034.

“By the time it’s all said and done, he could be in a position to really maximize his value and get maybe $500-plus million throughout his entire career,” Murray said. “So even though he may have left some money on the table now, he’s going to be able to make it up in the future for sure.”

Anthony has quickly turned into one of Boston’s most dangerous hitters. Entering Sunday, the phenom was hitting .279/ .392/ .419/ .811 on the season with two home runs and 20 RBIs.