Red Sox's Alex Cora Says Roster Moves Coming, Fans Pray For Roman Anthony

The Boston Red Sox are expected to make roster changes on Saturday.

Following a grueling 2-1, 12-inning loss to the Kansas City Royals on Friday night, manager Alex Cora revealed the club is considering moves to address both the position player group and the pitching staff. 

MassLive’s Chris Cotillo was on the beat: “Cora said roster moves could come tomorrow because Romy Gonzalez and Rob Refsnyder are both banged up and could need IL stints,” Cotillo posted to X.

González, who left Wednesday’s game early after a collision at first base with Texas Rangers’ Josh Smith, has not played since, nursing a back injury. Refsnyder, meanwhile, has been sidelined since May 1 with persistent back tightness. Their potential placement on the injured list comes at a challenging depth chart time for Boston, which burned through seven relievers in Friday’s marathon defeat. 

“After using seven relievers Friday, the Sox could use a fresh arm or two,” Cotillo noted in a piece released late Thursday night, hinting at a possible bullpen reinforcement alongside position player adjustments before Saturday’s 7:10 p.m. ET game at Kauffman Stadium.

While the Red Sox weigh their options (and deal with Rafael Devers drama), fans hoping for the promotion of top prospects Roman Anthony or Marcelo Mayer are likely to be disappointed. 

Cotillo emphasized that “short-term stopgap options are far more likely” than calling up the organization’s prized prospects. Instead, players already on the 40-man roster, such as Vaughn Grissom or Nick Sogard, could be in line for a call-up.

Another intriguing option is outfielder Nate Eaton, a former Kansas City Royal who has impressed at Triple-A Worcester with an .866 OPS from the right side.

With González and Refsnyder’s status uncertain and the pitching staff stretched thin, the Red Sox’s next moves will be critical to keeping things afloat.