The Red Sox are banking on Roman Anthony to be their primary power acquisition, but the ZiPS projections aren't exactly impressed with the team's current lineup. A quick glance at Fangraphs reveals that the Red Sox have a long way to go to find a player projected to hit more than 18 home runs, with the first name in the lineup tied for 127th. This is a stark contrast to the Yankees, who have seven players projected to hit at least 20 home runs in 2026. The Red Sox could have signed Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, or Eugenio Suarez, who are projected to hit 43, 38, and 35 home runs, respectively, to address this issue. However, the question remains: how significant is this? Recent history suggests that having at least one player who can hit 30 or more home runs is crucial. This is because having a big bopper in the postseason forces opponents to game plan and pitch around them, often leading to someone else making them pay. The only exceptions to this rule occurred during a tight six-year window between 2010 and 2015, when several stars aligned at the end of the steroid era and before the launch angle era. The 2015 Kansas City Royals and three San Francisco Giants teams were the only exceptions, driven by pitching and playing in unfriendly hitting environments. The Red Sox need either their pitching staff to resemble those early 2010s Giants teams or for someone like Wilyer Abreu or Trevor Story to step up and hit 30 bombs. However, one candidate stands out: Roman Anthony. Despite the front office's reluctance to publicly pressure a 21-year-old, Anthony's matter-of-fact goal quote suggests he's been focusing on it all winter. The Red Sox are putting the weight of the world on one of the youngest guys in the league, but it's a necessary step for the team's success. If Anthony doesn't become a superstar, the Red Sox don't have one in the lineup.
