Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthonymade an immediate impression for Team USA on Tuesday afternoon.
Batting seventh and playing left field, Anthony launched a towering two-run homer in the sixth inning of Team USA’s exhibition game against the Giants. The blast came off right-hander Blake Tidwell and traveled 394 feet with a 101.4 mph exit velocity, according to Statcast.
Team USA cruised to a 15–1 win behind Paul Skenes, who struck out four over three innings. Former Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregmanalso chipped in with a solo homer.
Anthony was a late addition to Team USA’s roster after Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carrollsuffered a broken bone in his hand. Despite having just 71 big league games under his belt, Anthony is embracing the opportunity to share the stage with some of the game’s best players.
“I’m sure I joked about it, but it’s not really one of those things that I put a timeline on,” Anthony said last month. “It’s something you think about — like, yeah, I want to do this at some point, whether it’s a few years down the road, 10 years down the road, whatever it may be.”
“Getting to represent the USA at any time would be more than a blessing,” he added. “I didn’t necessarily think it would be this time around, but I’m excited to do it and excited to get going.”
Roman Anthony going YARD for Team USA! pic.twitter.com/qZMag3Xyss— Red Sox (@RedSox) March 3, 2026
Team USA will officially open World Baseball Classic pool play on Friday against Team Brazil.
Anthony wasn't the only member of the Red Sox who impressed in exhibition play on Tuesday.
Ceddanne Rafaelasuited up for the Netherlands and went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, and five RBIs in an 8–5 win over the Orioles.
Rafaela’s homer was a three-run shot in the top of the second that gave the Netherlands a 4–2 lead. He followed it up in the third inning with a two-run double in his next at-bat.
Rafaela is making his World Baseball Classic debut for the Netherlands after declining an invitation three years ago to focus on his role with the Red Sox.
Now, he’s especially excited to share a dugout with former Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts.
“Yeah, I think that’s something special,” Rafaela said. “It’s something I’ve looked forward to since I didn’t play in [the WBC] in ’23, because I wanted to play with Xander. I’d say that’s the main reason I’m going to be there — I was looking forward to playing with him when he was [with the Red Sox], but things didn’t go that way.”
Crochet Hit with Spring Loss
Garrett Crochet made another spring start on Wednesday, facing the New York Yankees at JetBlue Park.
Yankees shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. went 2-for-2 off the Sox ace. Lombard, a 20-year-old shortstop currently ranked as MLB’s No. 46 prospect according to Baseball America, led off the game by crushing a 1-2 fastball 392 feet over the Monster in left field.
George Lombard Jr. taking Crochet deep off an elevated 97 FB 👀👀👀pic.twitter.com/c5OPfBXBWb— Eric Hubbs (@BarstoolHubbs) March 4, 2026
Crochet sent down eight straight batters between Lombard’s two at-bats, striking out three while consistently hitting 97 mph in Wednesday’s 4-0 loss. The southpaw surrendered three runs over 2 2/3 innings, spread across four frames, tossing 34 pitches for strikes (53 total).
“I felt like I was just not really convicted in the [four-seamer]," Crochet said. "I was just talking about that with Kutter [Crawford], just trying to push it up in the zone instead of just throwing it up in the zone. But that was a good swing, because it was still a good bullet by me.”
Red Sox Injury Report
It’s bad news for Red Sox infielder Brendan Rodgers.
Alex Cora told reporters that Rodgers will likely need surgery on his right shoulder. He’s expected to seek another opinion, but the initial MRI results were not positive, according to the Boston Herald’sMac Cerullo.
Rodgers will see Dr. Neal ElAttrache regarding his shoulder.
Boston signed Rodgers to a minor league contract in February and the 2022 Gold Glove winner was competing for a roster spot, but his latest injury might derail his entire 2026 season.
Rodgers injured his shoulder on Feb. 25 in a Grapefruit League game against the Twins when he dove for the ball at second base. The 29-year-old landed on his left shoulder, reached for the ball and came down on his right shoulder. There initially was optimism about Rodgers’ shoulder after the strength tests were positive. Rodgers has had labrum surgery in both of his shoulders, the right in 2019 and the left in 2023.
It won’t be easy for Brendan Rodgers to make the roster with Andruw Monasterio continuing to look good at the plate, but he has his first hit of the spring. 2-run single to make it 4-0 Red Sox. Against a righty too.pic.twitter.com/BAXCRORo4k— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) February 25, 2026
Another Red Sox non-roster invitee has been shut down following an injury setback.
Vinny Nittoliexperienced elbow pain during his last outing on Saturday against the Twins and has been shut down, Cora said on Wednesday. Nittoli underwent an MRI on Tuesday but the club is still awaiting the results.
“We’ll know more today, but he was in pain so we have to shut him down,” Cora said.
Nittoli has pitched in just 15 MLB games over four seasons that spans from 2021-24, most recently pitching for the Orioles. The 35-year-old spent all of last season in Triple-A, posting a 4.58 ERA with 46 strikeouts over 39 1/3 innings split between the Brewers and Orioles’ affiliates.
Alex Cora says Vinny Nittoli felt pain in his elbow during his last outing and he’s been shut down. He had an MRI yesterday and the team is still awaiting the results.— Mac Cerullo (@MacCerullo) March 4, 2026
Prior to the injury this spring, Nittoli had appeared in three games for the Red Sox, posting two scoreless innings sandwiched around an ugly showing where he allowed four runs over 2/3 of a frame.
Romy Gonzalezhas been out with left shoulder soreness and will be reevaluated on Friday, just six weeks out from his PRP shot. Once the club gets more information, they’ll decide how they’d like to proceed with the utilityman.
Gonzalez doesn’t think he’ll be ready for Opening Day, which could open the door for Andruw Monasterioto make the 26-man roster.
“Honestly, I don’t think so,” Gonzalez said at JetBlue Park on Feb, 25. “At this point, I think the ramp-up would be a little too quick and it’d be a disservice I feel like to myself and the team if I’m not ready to roll and have a good build-up.”
The Sox were initially planning to platoon Gonzalez at second base, particularly against southpaws with Marcelo Mayer getting reps against righties. He had a .331/.378/.600/.978 line in 143 plate appearances vs. left-handed pitchers last season.
MLB Notes
The Red Sox traded left-hander Kyle Harrison in a multi-player deal in February that sent infielder Caleb Durbinand others back to Boston.
Harrison arrived in Brewers camp, unveiling a new changeup that has generated significant vertical movement. His bread-and-butter pitch has long been his fastball, with both the Giants and Red Sox working with him to develop more consistent secondary offerings to succeed at the big-league level.
In his unofficial Brewers debut on March 3, Harrison impressed over three innings against Team Great Britain in the dry Arizona heat.
Harrison threw 10 changeups in the exhibition, generating between -6 and -8 inches of vertical movement, according to Baseball Savant. Boston had previously encouraged Harrison to develop the pitch to add another weapon to his arsenal.
“They thought, ‘Oh, we got some prospect that’s coming up — you might be able to throw his changeup,’” Harrison told Brewers reporters. “Worked for two months in Worcester trying to figure it out and just couldn’t get it. Couldn’t get it. Two months of just a terrible changeup.”
Profar Suspended
Major League Baseball announced a 162-game suspension for Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar on Tuesday. The MLB Players Association is expected to appeal the ruling, according to multiple outlets.
The league said the suspension will begin Friday. Under MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement, penalties for first-time offenders are stayed during the appeal process. However, Profar — now a second-time offender — is permitted to appeal without a stay, meaning the suspension begins immediately. His appeal will be expedited, one source said.
BREAKING: Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time, sources told ESPN. News free at ESPN: https://t.co/Od2Cht2QUO— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 3, 2026
MLB announced that Profar tested positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites. It marks his second performance-enhancing drug violation in the past year and carries an automatic full-season suspension. Profar previously missed 80 games in 2025 after testing positive for the fertility drug human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) following the fourth game of the season.
The 33-year-old signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Atlanta in January 2025. After returning from his previous suspension on July 2, he appeared in 76 games and posted a .245/.353/.434 slash line with 14 home runs and 43 RBI. Profar was scheduled to earn $15 million this season, though Atlanta will save roughly $18 million due to luxury tax penalties tied to his salary.
Rojas Facing Possible Suspension
Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has reportedly tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug, according to reporter Wilber Sánchez and Jon Heyman of The New York Post. Heyman reports that Rojas plans to appeal the ruling.
Under MLB’s drug policy, players face an 80-game suspension for a first-time PED violation. Major League Baseball and the Phillies have not yet made a formal announcement. Rojas, 25, has appeared at the major league level for Philadelphia in each of the past three seasons.
Cincy Ace Hurt
Reds ace Hunter Greeneis seeking medical opinions on his ailing right elbow.
Reds manager Terry Francona and president of baseball operations Nick Kralltold reporters Wednesday that Greene returned to Cincinnati to be examined by orthopedic surgeon and longtime Reds team doctor Dr. Timothy Kremchek on March 6. Greene is also scheduled to see Los Angeles-based physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache on March 9. An MRI is expected while he’s in Cincinnati.
Greene made one Cactus League start on Feb. 28 and was scheduled to throw a bullpen Tuesday before reporting elbow stiffness. The Reds shut him down as a precaution. Greene said there is no damage to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
