SEATTLE — Red Sox rookie Marcelo Mayer had to make a trade with a Yankees fan to get his first major league home run ball.
Mayer gave the fan who caught it an autographed bat and another ball.
Fellow rookie Roman Anthony luckily didn’t have to negotiate. His first major league home run fell into a private tunnel area for some “good placement.”
Anthony’s blast gave the Red Sox a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Boston went on to win 2-0 over the Mariners here at T-Mobile Park.
“It was awesome. It was even better that we got a great win there,” Anthony said.
Anthony, who Baseball America ranks No. 1 on its Top 100 prospect list, plans to give the ball to his parents, Anthony and Lori Anthony, like he does with all his milestone baseballs.
“I usually just give ‘em to my parents and kind let them do the work,” Anthony said. “And they’ll do the whole little framing and everything. So I’ll give it to them for sure.”
The 21-year-old‘s home run went 391 feet and left his bat with a 104 mph exit velocity. He connected on a 96.2 mph sinker from Seattle starting pitcher Logan Gilbert with the count even 2-2.
Anthony (at 21 years, 34 days old) is the youngest Red Sox player to homer in a game since Rafael Devers back in 2017 (20 years old). Devers — who Boston traded to the Giants in a surprise blockbuster Sunday — also belted his first career home run here at T-Mobile Park.
“Obviously it was shocking,” Anthony said about the Devers trade.
Devers was removed from the team charter plane Sunday right before the Red Sox took off for their cross-country flight.
“For me, I was a little bit more towards the back of the plane as the young guy,” Anthony said. “We understand as a team that it’s a business. Obviously he was a phenomenal player for us and everyone knows what Raffy could do and how he was as a teammate. So sad to see him go but as a team we understand that we gotta move on and find ways to win.”
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Boston called up Anthony from Triple-A Worcester on June 9 to take injured Wilyer Abreu’s spot on the 26-man roster.
He’s gone 2-for-21 with a homer, double, four RBIs, two walks and five strikeouts
“I haven’t felt overmatched so I’m not worried about it,” Anthony said. “I know it’ll come through here soon so it’s nice to kinda get that first one out of the way today and hope to keep this thing rolling.”
