An hour and a half before first pitch, Roman Anthony walked around Fenway Park in a blue checkered suit rather than his normal batting practice attire. A special occasion calls for something fancier than baseball pants,

The Red Sox's talented 21-year-old becomes a wealthy man, while baseball takes another step away from the purity of a process never meant to influence financial outcomes.

The Red Sox signed rookie phenom Roman Anthony to an eight-year, $130 million contract through 2033, spending some of the cash they saved by trading Rafael Devers away on a player they hope will be the centerpiece of the next generation of Boston stars.