Aug 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Roman Anthony (19) stands on deck during the game against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Roman Anthony's Agent Hints At Why Red Sox Superstar Took $130M Extension

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Everything Roman Anthony has done since being drafted into the Boston Red Sox organization has been a franchise's dream.

First, he worked his way up from being a second-round pick to the No. 1 prospect in baseball. He debuted in the majors and quickly became the team's best on-base machine. Then, earlier this month, he agreed to a life-changing extension.

Boston locked up Anthony for eight years, $130 million with a club option for 2034. He's certainly a very rich man now, but he also turned down a chance to truly establish himself as one of the best players in the ga me with more time and potentially increase his price tag.

Roman Anthony's agent talks client's decision to accept Red Sox offer

So, given that it was obviously a tough call either way, why did Anthony opt for the guaranteed money now over a chance to potentially earn more in the future?

In a Thursday piece from The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Anthony's agent, Mark Rodgers, gave the rationale as to why the contract was attractive to the 21-year-old.

“We gave him the pros and cons on the deal,” Rodgers told Rosenthal. “I think part of the reason he took this deal is that he didn’t want a distraction. It was always going to be a distraction.”

It's befitting of Anthony, who Rosenthal described as having "tunnel vision." The rookie could still be in college right now, but instead, he's batting leadoff for one of Major League Baseball's signature franchises in the middle of a tight pennant race, and carrying a .402 on-base percentage to boot.

“It’s almost like, you can’t be this mature, this focused, this intentional at 21,” Rodgers told Rosenthal. “I raised five kids. They’re all successful adults. Not one of them was like this at 21 years old.”

The Red Sox are heading into a crucial stretch of the season, and they'll need Anthony to continue setting the tone for the offense. He's getting his first taste of Yankee Stadium and the Red Sox's biggest rivalry for four games this weekend.

But given everything we've seen so far, it's hard to imagine Anthony will let the moment get too big for him.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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