Red Sox Insider Predicts Roman Anthony Will Win 2026 AL MVP

The MVP buzz continues to grow for Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony.

Mar. 22, 2026 at 5:18pm

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Red Sox insider Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic said in early March that "people are talking" about star outfielder Roman Anthony "in the MVP conversation." Then on Friday, MLB senior writer Eno Sarris (also of The Athletic) predicted that Anthony would win the 2026 AL MVP award. Red Sox reporter Gabrielle Starr of The Boston Herald also made a prediction that the 21-year-old former second-round pick would win the hardware.

Why it matters

Anthony is coming off an impressive rookie campaign with the Red Sox and a big World Baseball Classic debut this winter, leading to growing MVP buzz around the young outfielder. If he can build on his early success, he could be in line for his first All-Star selection and potentially the AL MVP award in 2026.

The details

In 71 games as a rookie last season, Anthony hit .292/.396/.463 with 8 home runs and 32 RBIs. He's expected to be a key part of the Red Sox lineup going forward as they look to return to the playoffs.

  • In early March, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic said "people are talking" about Anthony in the MVP conversation.
  • On Friday, Eno Sarris of The Athletic predicted Anthony would win the 2026 AL MVP award.
  • On Sunday, Gabrielle Starr of The Boston Herald predicted Anthony would win the 2026 AL MVP.

The players

Roman Anthony

A 21-year-old outfielder for the Boston Red Sox who had an impressive rookie season in 2025 and is generating MVP buzz.

Jen McCaffrey

A Red Sox insider for The Athletic who said in early March that "people are talking" about Anthony in the MVP conversation.

Eno Sarris

An MLB senior writer for The Athletic who predicted that Anthony would win the 2026 AL MVP award.

Gabrielle Starr

A Red Sox reporter for The Boston Herald who predicted that Anthony would win the 2026 AL MVP award.

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What they’re saying

“people are talking" about Anthony "in the MVP conversation”

— Jen McCaffrey, Red Sox insider

“I'm going to go bold for AL, though, and pick Roman Anthony. I think he's just scratched the surface of what he can do”

— Gabrielle Starr, Red Sox reporter

What’s next

If Anthony continues to perform at a high level, he will likely be selected to his first All-Star team in 2026 and be in serious contention for the AL MVP award.

The takeaway

The rising star power of Roman Anthony has the baseball world buzzing, with multiple insiders and reporters predicting the young Red Sox outfielder will win the 2026 AL MVP award. His impressive rookie season and World Baseball Classic performance have set the stage for what could be a breakout year in 2026.