Everyone expected Roman Anthony to be special.
How's "making history not done since 1940" special? That'll work for the Boston Red Sox.
The mark is this: Anthony has a .400 on-base percentage through his first 43 career games. He's the first American League player in 85 years to achieve that at age-21 or younger, according to statistician @JayHayKid.
The last guy to do it: Elmer Valo in 1940.
A little Valo history lesson in bullet points:
- He was born in Slovakia
- He broke into the majors with the Philadelphia Athletics
- He missed the 1944 and 1945 seasons for military service
- He played 20 years in the major leagues, which would've been even more if not for those two missed campaigns.
- Fittingly, he ended his career in Philadelphia, but with the Phillies.
MORE: Angels' new trade pickup is not a fan of California
Valo is a mostly forgotten player who stuck around for a long, long time. He hit .282 as a big leaguer, and he was before his time.
How about this Valo stat: In his career, he walked 942 times and struck out just 284 in 6,092 plate appearances. His OBP was .398, and his strikeout rate was just 4.7%.
Back to Anthony: Yeah, the former No. 1 overall prospect is as advertised.
MORE: Brewers' Andrew Vaughn has tied a Barry Bonds MLB record
He scuffled just a bit out of the gate, but now he's being patient, driving the ball and contributing to a Red Sox team trying to make the playoffs.
Boston recently decided Anthony will lead off the rest of the way, a solid call for a guy with his on-base skill.
He's going to be a great major league player for a long time.
MORE MLB NEWS:
- Dodgers sign Missouri football's QB to contract
- Blue Jays make Toronto history not achieved since 1992 World Series team
- Emmanuel Clase goes from trade target to concerning Guardians story
- Orioles' catcher used a Happy Gilmore swing to hit a home run
- There's a sad truth to Aaron Judge's injury for Yankees
- Edwin Diaz is MLB's best pitcher since learning his legs were different lengths