Roman Anthony’s AAA return sets timeline for Red Sox rehab group, with Trevor Story and IKF also headed back

The Red Sox’s rehab and return plans are narrowing into a short, practical stretch, with Roman Anthony positioned to get his next live-at-bats in Triple-A and two other experienced regulars heading to Boston for review. According to MLB’s Ian Browne, Anthony is moving from Portland to Worcester, where he is expected to make his first appearance with the WooSox on Tuesday, after which the organization will judge how the next step in his buildup process holds up. The timing matters because Boston is not trying to rush the timetable, but the club is also indicating it is willing to adjust quickly if the work translates to game conditions.

Anthony’s road back has been described as progressing more smoothly than the other members of the group. The Yahoo Sports report frames his work in the minors as encouraging, pointing to his ability to produce while continuing to work his routine, including at-bats and plate discipline. The organizational approach being emphasized is “building phase” more than “instant activation,” which is why Worcester becomes the immediate stop instead of a direct return to Boston’s lineup.

For Trevor Story and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (IKF), the next step is not game time in the upper minors. The report says Story and IKF will head to Boston “today” to be reevaluated, and it raises the possibility that they could rejoin the team for an upcoming series against the Marlins. That “could” is doing a lot of work here, because reevaluations in this stage usually function as a checkpoint for readiness, not a guarantee of a roster decision.

Roman Anthony’s projected path, by contrast, is more clearly staged. Chad Tracy, described in the report as speaking to the likelihood of a faster-than-typical timeline, said, “I wouldn’t completely rule it out,” but also that he still expects Anthony to continue the outfield building phase and continue getting at-bats on Tuesday. Tracy’s emphasis on the outfield work is a reminder that for position players, the jump from rehab assignments to the majors is not only about the bat, it is about coordination, timing, and defensive comfort in live play.

The contrast between the three players also underscores how uneven a rehab timeline can be, even within the same organization’s broader return efforts. The report characterizes Story and IKF’s recent minor-league hitting as struggling, using language that suggests they look “lost at the plate,” while Anthony’s approach appears to be closer to the level the Red Sox want before any promotion. That distinction often shapes whether a club keeps a player in extended work or accelerates the process.

For Red Sox followers, the most immediate watch item is simple: whether Anthony’s Tuesday appearance in Worcester looks like progress, not just participation. If the at-bats and overall feel match what the organization wants, the “rejoin the Sox this week” idea becomes more than a storyline. Meanwhile, if Story and IKF’s Boston reevaluation provides enough confidence, Boston’s lineup planning for the Marlins series could shift quickly.

No matter what happens next, the key point is that Boston appears to be managing this as an internal decision cycle, not a public timetable. The club’s actions will likely be driven by readiness indicators visible over a handful of days, starting with Worcester’s games for Anthony and then extending into the in-house assessments for Story and IKF. That makes the next round of roster and lineup decisions worth tracking, because the Red Sox’s near-term depth picture can change quickly when a rehab group turns the corner.