Article: Masataka Yoshida’s Future in Boston Is as Clear as Mud

[Alex Mayes]

Masataka Yoshida has seen ample time at DH this spring, but will begin the season in Worcester to rehab his shoulder as he prepares to play the outfield again.

Masataka Yoshida hasn't had great results at the plate during spring training, but he’s looked comfortable. His shoulder seems to be feeling well enough for him to make solid contact and put the ball in play. However, after he homered on March 18, it came out that Yoshida would begin the season at Triple-A Worcester. He'll continue a throwing program to rehab his shoulder. Before we dive into what that means, let’s get a clearer picture of what is actually going on with Yoshida’s situation. According to Ian Browne, Yoshida can be placed on a 20-day rehab assignment once he is ready and he would have to consent to being optioned to the minors as per the terms of his contract.

This news was a surprising development, considering Yoshida was seeing regular at-bats throughout spring training. Yes, the fact that Rafael Devers seems to be, at least outwardly, okay with moving to DH full-time made Yoshida’s role on the big league club a bit superflous, but many still expected him to break camp on the main roster. The demotion does tell us that Alex Cora was serious when he claimed that Yoshida would get time in the outfield this season. Currently, Yoshida is throwing from 100 feet and ramping up to longer distances. Yoshida's defense graded out terrible in 2023, and when he played just one emergency inning in 2024, the logical assumption was that his days in the outfield were over.

Still, Masataka Yoshida will soon be getting outfield reps in real games. What does that mean when he’s finally ready to return to Boston? That’s a bit of a convoluted question. If there is actually a plan for him to receive outfield reps in the majors, whose spot does he take? The Red Sox have three excellent outfield defenders and one more on the way. Jarren Duran is penciled in to start in left field, and you’d rather have his speed and bat in the lineup every day. Yoshida can't play center or right. Roman Anthony showed out in spring training and is expected to get an early season call up as well. Should Yoshida get more looks over him? 

I think the plan here is to show that Yoshida can indeed play in the outfield in order to rebuild his trade value. If he can play a passable outfield at Worcester, it’s far more likely that another team will be willing to take on at least a small part of his salary. Should he put on a show in Worcester and force his name into the conversation for a promotion, that’s where things get particularly hairy. You wouldn’t let go of Rob Refsnyder, who can play multiple outfield positions and hit left-handed pitching. DFA’ing someone like Romy Gonzalez or David Hamilton doesn’t make any sense either. Yoshida is a better hitter, but he can't do any of the things that make them valuable depth pieces.

Yoshida’s 20-day clock won’t start until "he’s ready," and that will be up to the coaching and training staffs to decide. It's a non-issue for the moment, but once that clock starts to tick, decisions will have to be made in short order. I, for one, don’t envy the people who will have to make them.

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[moonslav59]

I can't see us carrying 2 DHs or playing Devers at 3B enough & Yoshida in LF enough to have enough PAs for Yoshida to build back up helpfulness and trade value.

Even if an OF gets hurt, we have Anthony. We also have a better LHB in Refsnyder. 

There was a reason I spent too much of my winter scrounging team rosters to find a trading partner for Yoshida. Most of what I came up with looked lame, and the Arenado choice went poof, when we signed Bregman.

I think we will need to just trade him for the most we can get, and that assumes paying $12-14M a year of his $18M x 3 remaining. It sucks, but it is what it is. The guy can still hit well enough to be someone's DH, but who is starting the season dying for a moderate DH without much power?

Trade him for a non 40 man roster prospect and throw in whatever is needed for cash.

Refsnyder is already squeezed and should be playing, every time a lefty starts. Anthony and Mayer are almost certainly going to get a long look, sooner rather than later. Both are better than Romy and DHam, but we are not squeezing 3 of those 4 guys, just to have two full time DHs on the 26.

[Bellhorn04]

Rusney Castillo's franchise record for highest paid AAA player is about to be eclipsed.

[Old Red]

10 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Rusney Castillo's franchise record for highest paid AAA player is about to be eclipsed.

Masa was an overpay right from the start, but it’s not like the guy can’t hit. $18M+ for Masa, and $30M+ for a more expensive DH. What a deal.

[Old Red]

23 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I can't see us carrying 2 DHs or playing Devers at 3B enough & Yoshida in LF enough to have enough PAs for Yoshida to build back up helpfulness and trade value.

Even if an OF gets hurt, we have Anthony. We also have a better LHB in Refsnyder. 

There was a reason I spent too much of my winter scrounging team rosters to find a trading partner for Yoshida. Most of what I came up with looked lame, and the Arenado choice went poof, when we signed Bregman.

I think we will need to just trade him for the most we can get, and that assumes paying $12-14M a year of his $18M x 3 remaining. It sucks, but it is what it is. The guy can still hit well enough to be someone's DH, but who is starting the season dying for a moderate DH without much power?

Trade him for a non 40 man roster prospect and throw in whatever is needed for cash.

Refsnyder is already squeezed and should be playing, every time a lefty starts. Anthony and Mayer are almost certainly going to get a long look, sooner rather than later. Both are better than Romy and DHam, but we are not squeezing 3 of those 4 guys, just to have two full time DHs on the 26.

Ref Man most likely will get more squeezed as time goes on as Abreu might see more time against LHP.

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Rusney Castillo's franchise record for highest paid AAA player is about to be eclipsed.

Masa would hit .400 in WOO. He'd be the greatest AAAA player of all time. 

[Bellhorn04]

2 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Ref Man most likely will get more squeezed as time goes on as Abreu might see more time against LHP.

Quite possible, but I think Cora will find Ref enough ABs against lefties to keep him sharp.   

[harmony]

In the past 10 days Baseball Trade Values has downgraded Masataka Yoshida's trade value to a negative $38.6 million:

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades?q=yoshida&page=1

Writing from Tokyo: Would the Orix Buffaloes take back Yoshida?

 

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, Old Red said:

Ref Man most likely will get more squeezed as time goes on as Abreu might see more time against LHP.

They love Rafaela's defense, but Abreu has the higher ceiling IMO. 

LF Anthony

CF Duran 

RF Abreu

[mvp 78]

5 minutes ago, harmony said:

In the past 10 days Baseball Trade Values has downgraded Masataka Yoshida's trade value to a negative $38.6 million:

https://www.baseballtradevalues.com/trades?q=yoshida&page=1

Writing from Tokyo: Would the Orix Buffaloes take back Yoshida?

If the Red Sox could eat 40M and trade him, I think they would have already.

[notin]

Oh no! The Sox have an $18mill bench outfielder with a career .810 OPS vs RHP and 3 options left! This situation is completely unsalvageable now that MLB has outlawed injuries!

[Bellhorn04]

His only real opening is if Devers has to go on the IL, which is not really what you want.

[drewski6]

53 minutes ago, mvp 78 said:

They love Rafaela's defense, but Abreu has the higher ceiling IMO. 

LF Anthony

CF Duran 

RF Abreu

The visual of Refsnyder at the top of the dugout when Abreu was batting against a lefty was pretty telling to me. Then Abreu worked a walk against that lefty and then smashed his second HR in his final at-bat.  I felt a little sorry for Ref, losing his most likely platoon-mate because Abreu looks like he deserves a chance to be every-day right now.

[moonslav59]

1 hour ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Rusney Castillo's franchise record for highest paid AAA player is about to be eclipsed.

Per season, but not overall.

1 hour ago, mvp 78 said:

They love Rafaela's defense, but Abreu has the higher ceiling IMO. 

LF Anthony

CF Duran 

RF Abreu

Abreu-Rafaela platoon in RF. 

Rafaela can be the super utility guy when not playing RF. He can fill in at CF, SS and 2B.

[moonslav59]

34 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

The visual of Refsnyder at the top of the dugout when Abreu was batting against a lefty was pretty telling to me. Then Abreu worked a walk against that lefty and then smashed his second HR in his final at-bat.  I felt a little sorry for Ref, losing his most likely platoon-mate because Abreu looks like he deserves a chance to be every-day right now.

I'm still not sure he gets the start, when a LHP starts. Drawing the walk was nice, but Rey is the 13th best batter vs LHPs over the past 3 seasons, combined. Abreu has been sub .575.

[Bellhorn04]

30 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

Per season, but not overall.

Yoshida could beat both records.  Castillo's years of total exile were 2016-2019.

[mvp 78]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Yoshida could beat both records.  Castillo's years of total exile were 2016-2019.

They'll be able to deal Masa well before the end of his contract. I doubt he's in AAA the entirety of 2025. 

[Bellhorn04]

24 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm still not sure he gets the start, when a LHP starts. Drawing the walk was nice, but Rey is the 13th best batter vs LHPs over the past 3 seasons, combined. Abreu has been sub .575.

Abreu can probably improve.  But I agree that Ref will get his starts against lefties.

This kind of juggling is child's play for Cora.  

[moonslav59]

3 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Yoshida could beat both records.  Castillo's years of total exile were 2016-2019.

It was '17-'20, and if you count 8 PAs in 2016 (40 in 2014), then Yoshida will likely get that in some of the next 3 years.

[Bellhorn04]

5 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

It was '17-'20, and if you count 8 PAs in 2016 (40 in 2014), then Yoshida will likely get that in some of the next 3 years.

Don't forget '20 was only 40% pay.

But OK, I'll just stick with highest pay for one year. 

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

I can't give up on a big league hitter in his prime who has averaged .285 and .775 in two seasons. 

Let Yoshida fully heal and if he has more extra base power, keep him in the majors -- even if it's in the dugout. True contenders can use a quality bat that can come off the bench and make better contact than anyone else on the roster.

It's not like Boston is overloaded with talented hitters who don't strike out...

[Bellhorn04]

7 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I can't give up on a big league hitter in his prime who has averaged .285 and .775 in two seasons. 

Let Yoshida fully heal and if he has more extra base power, keep him in the majors -- even if it's in the dugout. True contenders can use a quality bat that can come off the bench and make better contact than anyone else on the roster.

It's not like Boston is overloaded with talented hitters who don't strike out...

But where exactly do you fit him in if Devers is healthy?  Who does he replace?

These pesky roster rules are a bit of an impediment.

[mvp 78]

11 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

But where exactly do you fit him in if Devers is healthy?  Who does he replace?

These pesky roster rules are a bit of an impediment.

Devers was taking grounders at 3b yesterday.

[drewski6]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

I'm still not sure he gets the start, when a LHP starts. Drawing the walk was nice, but Rey is the 13th best batter vs LHPs over the past 3 seasons, combined. Abreu has been sub .575.

I know that stat is convenient, but you are talking about limiting a 25 year old gold glover entering his prime, who looks primed for a breakout over 60 rookie at-bats.

Abreu deserve the chance to be a full blown starter.

Refsnyder going to have to find more ways to find at-bats.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

1 minute ago, Bellhorn04 said:

But where exactly do you fit him in if Devers is healthy?  Who does he replace?

Like I said, on the bench as a non-starter. But if Yoshida starts blasting extra-base hits, he could force his way back into the line-up, at least at part-time LF or DH. 

I don't think Devers stays healthy. Even after half a year of shoulder issues (including, apparently this winter) he was still swinging from his heels at pitches out of the strike zone and whiffing three times in a row. On Day One. Does any fan feel he has changed a bit? Forget about adjusting to DH; how about adjusting as a professional hitter -- did he shorten up with two strikes and try to line a pitch to the left side even once?

As to who Yoshida could replace on the current roster, do the Sox really need to carry eight relievers? The last guy is always on the Woo train, anyway. Also, if Refsnyder isn't going to platoon with Abreu or even pinch-hit for him, then he becomes expendable. 

The problem is if Anthony totally rakes in Triple A -- which he already did last summer -- Breslow has to make room in the starting outfield for baseball's Number One position prospect. Trading Yoshida doesn't do that; it's got to be one of yesterday's outfielders we saw in Texas.

[moonslav59]

54 minutes ago, 5GoldGlovesOF,75 said:

I can't give up on a big league hitter in his prime who has averaged .285 and .775 in two seasons. 

Let Yoshida fully heal and if he has more extra base power, keep him in the majors -- even if it's in the dugout. True contenders can use a quality bat that can come off the bench and make better contact than anyone else on the roster.

It's not like Boston is overloaded with talented hitters who don't strike out...

Who should he replace?

He still has value, but for a team like the Sox, who already has a FT DH plus Refsnyder, Yoshida needs a long term injury to win a slot on the 26, and even then, it has to be to only Devers, Bregman or maybe refsnyder or an OF'er.

If it's an OF'er, I think Ref vs LHPs and Anthony are ahead of Yoshida.

[Bellhorn04]

48 minutes ago, drewski6 said:

I know that stat is convenient, but you are talking about limiting a 25 year old gold glover entering his prime, who looks primed for a breakout over 60 rookie at-bats.

Abreu deserve the chance to be a full blown starter.

Refsnyder going to have to find more ways to find at-bats.

Refsnyder hit .941 against lefties last year.  The Red Sox as a team hit .728.

He will get his at-bats.

[moonslav59]

26 minutes ago, Bellhorn04 said:

Refsnyder hit .941 against lefties last year.  The Red Sox as a team hit .728.

He will get his at-bats.

How about a larger sample size?

2023-2025

.886 Refsnyder

.879 Romy

.788 Casas

.749 Devers

.721 Wong

(.704 Bregman w HOU)

.680 Duran

.610 Rafaela

.563 Story

.539 DHam

.524 Abreu

 

 

[Nick]

3 months rental of Vaz for 6 year control of Abreu. Pretty good trade with Houston Astros.

Vaz is in his final year of 3 year, $30M deal with Minnesota. 

If Rafaela figures out his hitting, Duran extension may not be needed with Anthony in the wings.

I love Duran (don't get me wrong). We still have 4 years of control.

It's just good to have options.........

 

[notin]

9 minutes ago, moonslav59 said:

How about a larger sample size?

2023-2025

.886 Refsnyder

.879 Romy

.788 Casas

.749 Devers

.721 Wong

(.704 Bregman w HOU)

.680 Duran

.610 Rafaela

.563 Story

.539 DHam

.524 Abreu

 

 

Abreu didn’t hit lefties well in the minors either.  I don’t think his role expanded because he had a great opening day.  And it won’t be reduced if he goes 0 for 4 today…