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Ex-Red Sox Star Xander Bogaerts Discusses Pressure On Roman Anthony originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Xander Bogaerts knows what Roman Anthony is going through.
Bogaerts was one of the best prospects in baseball before debuting with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 at just 20 years old. He made an immediate impact on the Red Sox, helping them win the World Series that year and raising expectations for his second season.
Anthony's in a similar boat. He debuted last year at 21 and helped Boston reach the playoffs in his inaugural season. He also signed a massive eight-year, $130 million contract extension last year, putting even more pressure on him to produce heading into this season.
Bogaerts is now with the San Diego Padres, who are in town this weekend for the Red Sox's home opener at Fenway Park. Back in his old stomping grounds, Bogaerts discussed the pressure on Anthony.
"He came up and got an extension right away. I can't relate to that. That probably calls for a little bit more on his shoulders, you know? He might be the face of the team right now," Bogaerts told WEEI's Rob Bradford prior to Friday's game. "He's probably the guy, I would guess. I have no idea. He's a really good player, man. Really good... He's very good at baseball and he seems like a nice kid also."
It's not easy being the face of a franchise at such a young age. When Bogaerts came up, he joined a team with established stars like David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. He had time to acclimate to the Majors, learn from those above him and grow into his role, eventually becoming the team's unofficial captain in the early 2020s.
Anthony doesn't have that luxury. Boston is counting on him to carry the lineup, and there aren't a lot of veterans who can help take the pressure off of him.
He's off to a slow start this year, going 5-for-22 with 11 strikeouts over his first five games. It may be just a slump, but it's also fair to wonder if he's pressing a bit with the rest of the team struggling.
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