Red Sox Urged to Call Up Roman Anthony and Send Down Kristian Campbell originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Boston Red Sox have number one overall prospect Roman Anthony sitting in the Minor Leagues. He hasn’t gotten the call-up to the big leagues, much to the chagrin of Red Sox fans and media. While Anthony is awaiting the call to the big leagues, an MLB insider made a ridiculous suggestion on how to call him up.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic suggested that the Red Sox should call up Anthony and demote Kristian Campbell to do so. Rosenthal said, “Exchange one for the other would make the Red Sox a better team.”
Rosenthal’s suggestion comes after Campbell had a rough night defensively against the New York Yankees. He broke the wrong way on a ground ball, leading to two runs scoring later that inning. Rosenthal’s suggestion focuses primarily on defense.
“Their best defensive alignment would be Anthony in left,” Rosenthal explained. “Jarren Duran in center and a combination of Ceddanne Rafaela and David Hamilton at second.”
That combination would allow Anthony to get the call-up, while not taking away from the Red Sox’s outfield firepower with Duran and Wilyer Abreu. While Rafaela is elite in center field, Duran is no slouch, being a finalist for the Gold Glove in 2024.
Moving the defense around would be a daunting task in the middle of the season. But with Anthony knocking down the door to the Major Leagues, the Red Sox have to make a decision soon. Before long, they need to call up Anthony.
Sending Campbell down would, in Rosnethal’s opinion, be a huge upgrade. “This isn’t complicated,” Rosenthal said. “Improve the offense, improve the defense.”
Adding Anthony to the Major League roster is a priority for the Red Sox, but demoting Campbell after all he’s been asked to take on at 22 years old would be a ridiculous move to make.
While Campbell has struggled recently, he began the year on a hot start. Instead of forcing Campbell to learn first base and move around constantly, the Red Sox should park him at second base and let him solidify himself there as the second baseman of the future for the Red Sox.
With the $80 million investment in Campbell, sending him down to the Minor Leagues doesn’t do him any good. Rosenthal’s suggestion may work in theory, but it is ridiculous considering the circumstances surrounding the roster.
Related: Alex Cora Provides Lackluster Roman Anthony Red Sox Update
Related: Trade Idea Sends Red Sox Jarren Duran to Mariners for 3.03 ERA Starter
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.