Red Sox activate Roman Anthony and Trevor Story for season’s stretch run against Yankees

The Boston Red Sox moved to reinforce their postseason hopes on Sunday by activating outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story from the injured list ahead of the team’s series finale against the New York Yankees. The timing matters for a club trying to separate itself from the pack as September approaches, because the final weeks of the schedule tend to compress opportunities for lineup stability and late-inning scoring.

Anthony’s return provides the Red Sox with a long-ball and outfield boost at a moment when every at-bat takes on extra weight. In his rookie season, Anthony made his MLB debut in 2025 and, according to Yahoo Sports’ season recap, hit.292 with eight home runs and 32 RBIs in 71 games. This year before his injury, he appeared in 30 games, batting.229 with one home run and five RBIs, numbers that reflect the disruption of an earlier absence.

For Boston, the immediate roster value is not just the talent on paper, but the ability to reshape roles as the calendar tightens. An active Anthony offers another look in the outfield and in run-producing spots in manager lineups that often have to account for day-to-day matchups, bullpen usage, and travel patterns down the stretch.

Story’s activation restores a different kind of power and versatility. As a shortstop, he also helps clarify infield plans, an area where teams can be forced into uncomfortable shuffle options when key pieces are missing. With Story back, the Red Sox can better stabilize their defensive alignment, and they also gain another potential catalyst in the batting order during a critical month when consistency becomes harder to manufacture.

Both Anthony and Story were on the injured list for more than three months, according to the report, meaning their activation comes after an extended period in which Boston had to cover for missing production and absorb the knock-on effects that injuries bring. Late returns from the IL can vary in impact based on workload and timing, but simply having these players on the field again expands Boston’s options for how it balances starters, pinch-hitting, and late-game platoons.

The series finale against the Yankees adds additional context to the move. Games against New York tend to amplify the leverage of divisional timing, and for a Red Sox team chasing October, every swing-and-miss and every bullpen inning becomes magnified against a strong opponent.

What to watch next is how quickly Boston can build real at-bats for both returnees without overloading them, and whether the Red Sox can translate the added depth into sustained scoring over the final month. Activations are a first step, but the staying power of a playoff push is measured in performances that follow immediately after the roster change.

If either player needs time to sync with in-game rhythm, the Red Sox may lean on matchups and mid-game adjustments, but the baseline expectation after an IL return is that the team’s ceiling rises with a more complete roster. For now, the message is clear: Boston is willing to bet on the upside these two bring as the season moves into its last decisive stretch.