The moment Red Sox fans had been shouting for finally arrived: Roman Anthony made his long-awaited debut in the MLB. But instead of a fairytale start, it turned into a gut punch. The Sox dropped the game 10-8 to the Tampa Rays, with Anthony going hitless, and to top it off, he made a costly error in the fifth, all in front of a roaring Fenway Park crowd that had hoped for magic.But just 24 hours later, the crown jewel of the Red Sox farm system answered back in style in his second outing, igniting Rookie of the Year buzz. Yes, it’s early days, but the path to that AL Rookie crown already looks uphill for Anthony.After going hitless against the Rays on Monday, the 21-year-old smashed a 2-run double in his first at-bat the next game. Tears welled up in his family’s eyes as the ball soared, making up for the debut they couldn’t witness the day before. As Anthony himself said, “That group out there has been with me every step of the way.”Even if it’s still early, many fans have already handed Anthony the Rookie of the Year tag. But analyst Robert Murray is dashing those hopes, it seems.“At this point, we have to call it like it is: It’s very unlikely that Anthony wins AL Rookie of the Year, considering 1. How well Wilson has played and 2. That Anthony was called up two months into the season,” Murray wrote on FanSided. But he didn’t completely shut the door on the possibility. “Anthony has the talent to make it interesting, and if he produces right away while helping Boston climb back into the playoff picture, his case will only grow louder,” he further added.Anthony has been the top prospect all season, but with Jacob Wilson in the mix, it’s no easy path.Murray’s take stands strong considering Anthony is already two months late to the race. On the other hand, Wilson, the Athletics‘ shortstop, is batting .366 with eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 64 games this season. But what about Anthony? Down in Worcester, he slashed .288/.423/.491 with a .913 OPS, 10 home runs, and 29 RBIs in just 39 games. And that 470-ft grand slam he crushed last week? That towering blast screamed potential. He has been phenomenal, that’s without doubt, so the possibility is still there. “If he plays every day, and has the type of impact the Red Sox believe he can, then anything is possible, and I could see Anthony warranting some consideration,” Murray remarked.Let alone the other teams, the Red Sox themselves have potential Rookie of the Year contenders on their roster. Boston’s Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer have made solid cases in their debut seasons, too. And outside Boston, names like Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez and Royals’ Jac Caglianone are also turning heads.But if Anthony maintains the form he showed for Worcester and keeps improving, not only can he help lift the Red Sox from 4th place in the AL East (32-35), he might just bag that Rookie award. How he switched gears after the first game is clearly a sign. Maybe a little number luck helped fuel it, too!Anthony makes the switch to No. 19After the unlucky debut, which ended in a 10-8 loss for the Red Sox, Roman Anthony had no time to grieve; he had a fire to redeem. The youngster picked up his spirits, loaded his bat, and also changed his jersey number. He made his debut in Fenway Park No. 48, which he wore in Spring Training. But luckily, he was informed that No. 19 was available before his second outing. He didn’t think twice before suiting up in his familiar digits.“I wore (48) in spring and wore 19 last year in Triple-A,” Anthony told Tokyo Sports Press’ Carlos Yamazaki. “Credit to Tom and those guys, who called me this morning and said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna be able to get you 19.’ So I was super thankful for that.”And as if by magic, he scored his first hit and broke a scoreless tie with a two-run double in the bottom of the first, wearing No. 19. Coincidence? Maybe. But it is interesting to note that the No. 19 jersey only became available recently, after Sean Newcomb, the Red Sox’s previous No. 19, was traded to the Athletics on May 27.Fortunately for Anthony, it happened just in time. He now has a number that resonates most with him, and if things go right, who knows, it might just turn into the lucky charm the Red Sox didn’t know they needed.The post Roman Anthony’s Rookie of the Year Hopes Hit With Harsh Reality Check After Emotional Outing in Front of Family appeared first on EssentiallySports.