For generations the leadoff hitter was easy for a manger to identify: A fast guy. A slap hitter. Someone who could be the "spark plug." Then you stick another guy as the table setter in the second spot. Probably your best hitter third. And your power guy at the four spot. And in some ways this wasn't terrible advice to follow. The problem was that those skills needed to be driven by something else: the ability to get on base.
Manager Alex Cora announced yesterday that Red Sox utility man Romy Gonzalez is currently shut down from all baseball activities except for playing catch. This announcement came after earlier reports that he initially injured his shoulder in the final series of the 2025 regular season and has been dealing with pain and discomfort all offseason. Gonzalez has received a PRP injection and has not technically yet been ruled out for Opening Day,
One thing the sabermetric revolution has taught us is that batting order doesn't matter all that much. At least, not in the traditional sense of putting a speedy runner at the the top, someone who can handle the bat and move him over second, and power hitters in the middle. The general consensus now is that a team's best hitter should hit second with a high-OBP hitter in front of him.
It doesn't take a genius to figure that out, nor do you even have to look at the numbers, but here they are anyway: Since losing Anthony to an oblique injury 10 games ago, the Red Sox sit at 4-6 with a .296 OBP (23rd in all of baseball), along with the third-worst walk rate in the game. (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
The Red Sox mounted an impressive comeback win in their game against the Guardians yesterday, but the mood was dampened by the fact that budding star Roman Anthony exited the game due to an oblique injury. After the game, Anthony spoke to reporters (including Tim Healey of the Boston Globe) and noted that this oblique injury is "definitely worse" than the day-to-day back injury he dealt with a few weeks ago. It's unclear what sort of timeline for return to action Anthony might be facing.
