3 weeks ago
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Boston Red Sox rookie Roman Anthony has finalized a huge four-year, $130million contract with the team after bursting into the major leagues less than two months ago.
The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, will begin in 2026 and see Anthony remain under team control under 2034.
It is also reported that Anthony could earn up to $230m if he reaches various - as yet unspecified - 'escalators', including where he finishes in the AL Rookie of the Year voting.
Anthony, who only turned 21 in May, was first invited to Spring Training ahead of the season and then made his big league debut on June 9.
He hit his first major league home run against the Seattle Mariners on June 16, and on August 1 he enjoyed his first career walk-off hit against the Astros.
Roman is not the only member of the Anthony clan that has seen their fame skyrocket in recent months, with his sister Lia also becoming an online hit.
Roman Anthony, pictured in batting practice on Tuesday, has agreed a huge new contract
The 21-year-old enjoyed his first career walk-off hit against the Astros on Friday night
During her brother's first MLB appearance back in June, the cameraman repeatedly zoomed in on her in the stands, and fans quickly took a shine to her.
Lia and her family were interviewed on camera during the game, with her looks sparking the attention of the internet. Her following on Instagram jumped from around 3,000 to over 16,000 in less than 48 hours, and she now has 37,000 followers.
'Wow, I mean it’s been surreal,' Lia said to WEEI. 'It’s crazy… I’ve gotten quite a few DMs since that night.
'I got a couple baseball [DMs]. But it was funny, somebody said something about how they accidentally hit their baseball [in my DMs] and asked me to throw it back.
Roman's sister Lia has also shot to fame after fans noticed her during his MLB debut
She has since spoken out about her newfound fame alongside her brother's meteoric rise
'I think [Roman] definitely was shocked. We all were. We all were kind of in disbelief. But, I mean, he’s got bigger things to focus on. So, he’s just been focusing on his debut and everything. But I think we were all just shocked by it.'
Roman, meanwhile, is not the first Red Sox talent that the team have looked to tie down in recent months.
Back in the first week of the regular season, Boston handed Kristian Campbell an eight-year, $60m guarantee.
