Red Sox Sign Masataka Yoshida

[Jasonbay44]

BREAKING: Outfielder Masataka Yoshida and the Boston Red Sox are in agreement on a contract, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN.

 

Per Jeff Passan

 

[Jasonbay44]

Passan: Masataka Yoshida's deal with the Boston Red Sox will be for five years and more than $85 million, sources tell ESPN. The posting fee for the Orix Buffaloes will be in the $15 million range, bringing the total outlay for Yoshida to around $100 million.

[moonslav59]

Big move!

 

Fingers are crossed!

[Hugh2]

I wasn’t surprised to see big moves this week, actually I called it, but I didn’t see this one coming. But….it kind of makes good sense for them.

 

They really needed outfielders, and this guy looks like he could lead off too.

[Jasonbay44]

Passan: Yoshida, 29, is an on-base machine who led Nippon Professional Baseball in OPS the last two seasons. His bat-to-ball skills are absolutely world-class: just 41 strikeouts in 508 plate appearances, with 80 walks. Only Luis Arraez had a lower strikeout rate in MLB last season.

[a700hitter]

Does he have any power?

[Oscars]

Nice move Bloom

[Old Red]

Passan: Yoshida, 29, is an on-base machine who led Nippon Professional Baseball in OPS the last two seasons. His bat-to-ball skills are absolutely world-class: just 41 strikeouts in 508 plate appearances, with 80 walks. Only Luis Arraez had a lower strikeout rate in MLB last season.

 

Always iffy when signing someone from the orient. Suzuki had plenty of hype too, and didn’t set the league afire last year.

[mvp 78]

Does he have any power?

 

Similar to Seiya Suzuki. About 20 HR a year. Walks a ton, doesn’t strike out.

[Hugh2]

Does he have any power?

 

Yes, but not a lot, maybe he’s a 15-20 hr guy. But if his skills transition over well he will be a walk machine that doesn’t strike out much.

[mvp 78]

Always iffy when signing someone from the orient. Suzuki had plenty of hype too, and didn’t set the league afire last year.

 

Suzuki was good last year.

[Old Red]

Suzuki was good last year.

 

Did not match the hype, and had some injuries, so I guess it depends on what good is.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I love this move. Yes, it was in Japan, but Yoshida put up a .400+ on base % and .500+ slugging% the last six straight years.

 

I'll take a .900 OPS guy who doesn't strike out at the top of my order any time.

 

Fundamentals -- we miss you.

[moonslav59]

I wasn’t surprised to see big moves this week, actually I called it, but I didn’t see this one coming. But….it kind of makes good sense for them.

 

They really needed outfielders, and this guy looks like he could lead off too.

 

The Jansen signing was not talked about, either.

 

Bloom going stealth.

[Hugh2]

The Jansen signing was not talked about, either.

 

Bloom going stealth.

 

Love him or hate him one thing Bloom has done is run a tight ship.

[Hugh2]

He might not have been the best fit in the outfield being profiled as a left fielder where we could use a right fielder, but we did need an outfielder and he is a perfect fit at the top of the order.

 

What I want to know is. Do the Sox have a plan or hope Verdugo can handle right again? Or are they willing to just put up with subpar defense there for a year?

[iortiz]

Looking at his numbers, seems like this guy is a good signing. We'll see how this work it out though.

[moonslav59]

He might not have been the best fit in the outfield being profiled as a left fielder where we could use a right fielder, but we did need an outfielder and he is a perfect fit at the top of the order.

 

What I want to know is. Do the Sox have a plan or hope Verdugo can handle right again? Or are they willing to just put up with subpar defense there for a year?

 

Maybe they trade Dugo or he can DH/4th OF'er.

[iortiz]

Maybe they trade Dugo or he can DH/4th OF'er.

 

I wouldn't trade Alex. He is a keeper.

[dgalehouse]

Could be the leadoff hitter this team has been lacking.

[notin]

I wouldn't trade Alex. He is a keeper.

 

Depends on who for.

 

Would you trade Verdugo for Urquidy?

[moonslav59]

It's natural to want to compare him to Suzuki, and in some ways it makes sense, but they are two different players.

 

Lot's of potential, here. He's only 29. (Turns 30 in July)

 

He might turn out better than Nimmo. No lost comp pick.

 

It's hard to have an opinion on this move. It's bold. 5 years is not too long. $18M AAV is not too large.

 

My first impression is a good one.

 

Low Ks

High BBs

High and consistent BA

.321 '18

.323 '19

.351 '20

.339 '21

.336 '22

 

The power is not great, but he did have 29 HRs one year and 75 XBHs another year.

 

Gotta take someone's word on his defense.

 

 

[Bellhorn04]

Depends on who for.

 

Would you trade Verdugo for Urquidy?

 

I think we'd all do that in a heartbeat.

[Bellhorn04]

The power is not great, but he did have 29 HRs one year and 75 XBHs another year.

 

His OPS the last few years looks pretty healthy to me.

[moonslav59]

Depends on who for.

 

Would you trade Verdugo for Urquidy?

 

I probably would. I've always liked Urquidy, but he's not really an answer for our need for a top of rotation SP'er.

 

BTV accepted this one:

 

Rafaela, Dugo, Dalbec, Walter & Lugo

 

for

 

Lopez, Berti, A Garcia (salary dump) and Cooper

 

We get a solid SP'er, DH/ RF'er, a Kike-type player in Berti who can also lead-off and a swap of change of environments of Bobby D for Cooper.

 

They get salary relief, a nice promising SP'er and OF'er and a solid LF'er. Lugo and Dalbec have some promise.

 

It all depends on how much they want to cut salary. If you take A Garcia away, we'd probably have to give Mayer not Rafaela.

 

[Old Red]

I think we'd all do that in a heartbeat.

 

It would have been better if this guy was a RF. Dugy can play out there, but not as good as a LF.

[moonslav59]

His OPS the last few years looks pretty healthy to me.

 

Damn straight, and to me OBP is more valuable than SLG, so even nicer than it looks.

[jacksonianmarch]

This is a good move actually. The one thing that is missing in major league baseball is contact, and this guy has it in spades. It’s not a tremendously cost prohibitive move, but the upside is there. Sox aren’t really expected to be very good this year, so if he becomes a flop, it doesn’t really change much. If he turns into a foundational piece for the team, they got him on the cheap and they can build around him

[moonslav59]

Yoshida had an OBP over .400 in 6 straight seasons.

 

He's walked more than K'd in 4 straight seasons and came close to walking twice as much as K'ing, this season (15.7 BB rate to 8.1 K rate.)

 

Gotta like his approach.

[Larry Cook]

Yoshida is an excellent signing. Now we need the Japanese starting pitcher. A left handed reliever and a short stop.