Roman Anthony has signed an 8-year, $130 million extension with the Boston Red Sox.

An hour and a half before the game, Roman Anthony was seen walking around Fenway Park in a blue checkered suit instead of his usual batting practice attire.

After all, special occasions call for more formal attire than baseball pants.

In the finale against the Kansas City Royals, the Red Sox continued their positive momentum with a seven-game winning streak, signing their star rookie outfielder to an eight-year, $130 million extension on Wednesday.

This contract will begin in the 2026 season and includes a series of incentives that could raise its total value to as much as $230 million. The agreement features a team option for the 2034 season worth $30 million, along with incentives tied to Rookie of the Year (top two), MVP rankings (top ten), and All-Star selections.

“I can’t imagine a better city to spend the next eight to nine years of my career,” Anthony said. “I’m super excited. I want to thank all the fans who show up every day and support us, no matter the outcome. This is truly a special place, a place worth coming to every day. I’m incredibly excited about this and grateful to everyone in the room and all who have helped me get to this point.”

For Anthony, it has been a whirlwind year. He quickly ascended through the minor leagues and was called up to the majors less than two months ago. As of today, this former top prospect has a batting line of .283/.400/.428 with an OPS of .828 and 19 RBIs in 46 games since making his debut on June 10, Beijing time. He has played a significant role in Boston's recent success, hitting his first career walk-off hit last Friday night to set the tone for the series sweep against the Astros.

And he just turned 21 this year.

“It’s really hard to believe, man. Considering his demeanor, his poise, his maturity, all of that shows on the field,” Trevor Story said. “He’s a special person, a special player. Obviously, he’s going to be here for a long time, and I’m excited to keep him on our team.”

Anthony’s extension is the latest in a series of early renewals by Red Sox president of baseball operations Craig Breslow. In April, he signed Kristian Campbell to an eight-year, $60 million deal just six days after Campbell’s major league debut. A year prior, he executed a similar deal with Ceddanne Rafaela (eight years, $50 million).

The Red Sox and Anthony had previously engaged in extension talks during spring training, at a time when Anthony had yet to experience playing in the majors or living in Boston. Yet, just in his 159th career plate appearance, this outfielder was moved by the experience.

As for the Red Sox management, they had long known that Anthony was a player they wanted to invest in.

“I don’t think we were too different in identifying him; we thought he was a very mature 20-year-old at the time, now 21, but we felt he would transition successfully to the majors,” Breslow said. “We believe he can be a cornerstone player for our team. The path to consistent playing time isn’t entirely clear, but we’ve always had very high expectations for him.”

To demonstrate their support for Anthony, many players attended today’s press conference. His rookie teammates Marcelo Mayer, Romy Gonzalez, and Jarren Duran were among the first to arrive, with dozens of other teammates filling the back two rows, creating a standing-room-only section.

“I’m super happy,” Mayer said. “Roman is like a brother to me. I’ve played with him for several years. To see his dream come true in this way makes me very happy for him and his family.”

The Red Sox have had plenty to celebrate recently. As of today, they’ve won 14 of their last 15 games at Fenway Park, with a home record of 39-21, second only to Toronto in the AL. Before the series finale, they trailed the first-place Blue Jays in the AL East by 3.5 games and led the first Wild Card spot by 2.5 games over the Seattle Mariners.

And now, they have secured the future of another young star.

“When we talk about how young we are and the great mix of veterans we have, it’s really exciting,” Anthony said. “So there’s a lot to be excited about… understanding the process is also a big reason why I want to stay here and grow together with these guys.”