The Boston Red Sox are back on track after opening their series against the Tampa Bay Rays with a loss. Fenway Park was rocking as the Red Sox notched a 3-1 win over the Rays on Tuesday evening, and the club's latest victory wouldn't have been possible without Roman Anthony's two-RBI double at the top of the first inning.
It was a big performance from Anthony, who was suiting up for only his second MLB game. It was also the Red Sox stud's first game wearing his new jersey number — No. 19 — after debuting on Monday with No. 48 on the back of his threads.
"48 was what I wore in spring, and (I) wore 19 last year in Triple-A," Anthony told Tokyo Sports Press' Carlos Yamazaki before the game. "Credit to Tom (Werner) and those guys, called me this morning and ‘Hey, we're gonna be able to get you 19.’ So I was super thankful for that.”
No. 19 is a digit that plenty of Red Sox players have worn throughout the franchise's history, including a former American League MVP who just commented on Anthony's new look.
Former Red Sox MVP Fred Lynn Reacts to Roman Anthony's Jersey Change
Out of all the former Red Sox to wear No. 19, nine-time All-Star centerfielder Fred Lynn is the best to have done it. The former 1973 second-round pick is one of only two players in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, meaning it was a fairly big deal when he reacted to Anthony's jersey number change following Tuesday's win.
"The #19 was good for me. Hoping it’s good for Roman, too," Lynn posted on his X account.
The #19 was good for me. Hoping it’s good for Roman, too. @RedSox @NESN @AnthonyEnjoyer_ pic.twitter.com/fFdpiqTEOT
— Fred Lynn (@19fredlynn) June 11, 2025
It's always a big deal for an up-and-coming player to get approval from a former great, let alone one who's won an MVP award. The fact that Anthony has already caught Lynn's eye and received a figurative thumbs up from him shows that the top prospect is already something special only a couple of games into his big-league career.
As promising as Anthony's outlook appears, Red Sox fans wouldn't complain if he only has half the success that Lynn did. The four-time Gold Glove CF was terrific throughout his Boston tenure, racking up 124 home runs, 521 RBIs, 382 walks, and 43 stolen bases while slashing .308/.383/.520 in 828 games. He received all of his Gold Gloves and six All-Star nods during that stretch, which also includes his 1975 AL MVP win.
After leaving the Red Sox, Lynn played games with the California Angels, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and San Diego Padres before retiring after the 1990 campaign. Although he played 1,141 games between those four franchises, Lynn is typically remembered more for his time in Boston than elsewhere.
Only time will tell if Anthony's career will come close to matching what Lynn accomplished. The former 2022 second-round pick was slashing .288/.423/.491 with 10 HRs and 29 RBIs with Triple-A Worcester before his promotion, and Boston fans would love nothing more for him to continue that success at the MLB level.
Although being named AL MVP in Year 1 is unlikely, the Red Sox stud has a good chance of achieving something else that Lynn did. As of Tuesday morning, Anthony holds the second-best AL Rookie of the Year odds (+1500) on FanDuel Sportsbook, and those odds could further skyrocket if his new jersey number continues to be good luck.
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