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It hasn’t always been a good time in Boston for Masataka Yoshida since he joined the Red Sox. Injuries, underperformance, and plateauing skills have all kept him from living up to his big contract. And yet, despite that, the 32-year-old outfielder may have helped save the team’s chances of making the playoffs thanks to a strong September at the plate.
When the Boston Red Sox signed Yoshida to a five-year $90 million deal back in December 2022, there were mixed reactions. Other teams felt the Red Sox had overpaid for the hitter and due to his poor defense, it was assumed that he may not be a good fit for the team. Instead, the Red Sox embraced Yoshida in his rookie season playing him in left field for 87 contests. Offensively, he was decent, hitting .289/.338/.445 with 33 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs and 72 RBIs in 2023.
The 2024 season was a different story, as the team did not want him playing in the outfield any longer, instead serving as the team’s designated hitter. He would go on to only play 108 games, all but one as the DH, where his numbers dipped to .280/.349/.415 with 21 doubles, 10 home runs and 56 RBIs. Following the season, it was revealed that he would need labrum surgery, and the team stated that was the reason he did not play in the field.
Entering this year, it was clear Yoshida was the odd man out, with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu manning the outfield, while Roman Anthony was waiting to be promoted. Along with that, Rafael Devers was the team’s new designated hitter after the signing of Alex Bregman, leaving Yoshida without a position. Despite a strong spring training showing, Yoshida opened the year on the injured list as the team stated he would not play until he felt comfortable throwing the baseball regularly. Many fans felt it was an excuse to keep Yoshida off the roster to keep the lineup flexible.
It turns out, his injury was worse than feared, as he didn't even start his rehab assignment until July 2 with the Worcester Red Sox. Yoshida would play five games between Worcester and Portland before being activated by the Red Sox on July 9 against the Colorado Rockies. He was used sparingly upon returning, appearing in just 13 games in July where he hit .239/.255/.370 with an OPS of .625. His presence created a roster crunch as the Red Sox, had four outfielders fighting for three spots and on most occasions, couldn’t rotate them between the outfield and designated hitter due to Yoshida’s presence in the lineup. The argument was being made that the roster was more flexible in its lineup construction prior to Yoshida’s activation, and his bat wasn’t worth taking up a spot in the lineup.
In August, he received more playing time, appearing in 22 games, but struggled even more than in July. As the Sox battled it out for playoff position, Yoshida managed to hit just .214/.296/.300. However, it now seems that since the calendar flipped to September, Yoshida has turned his season around and just when the Red Sox needed an offensive jolt.
The team lost Anthony for the season on September 2 after he injured his oblique against the Cleveland Guardians, and for most of the second half, Alex Bregman has not looked like himself as he’s continued to deal with his quad injury. The Red Sox also lost a key piece of their lineup in Wilyer Abreu during a mid-August series against the Miami Marlins. The lineup needed a boost, and in a surprising fashion, it was Yoshida who provided it. In 16 games in September, Yoshida has raked at the plate, hitting .333/.344/474 with an OPS of .818. In that span, he’s also put the ball in play much more often, hitting five doubles and a home run to go along with 11 RBIs while striking out just four times.
In a month that has seen severe streakiness from players like Rafaela and Duran, the Red Sox are fortunate that Yoshida has stepped up, especially during the past seven games. After going 0-for-2 with a RBI against the Athletics, Yoshida has gone on a six-game hitting streak, going 10-for-26 with five RBI in that span including clutch hits during the series with the Blue Jays as the Red Sox hung onto a small lead for the second Wild Card spot. Looking back to the Sunday Night Baseball game against the Yankees on September 14, Yoshida is 14-for 33 and causing havoc. His stat line has jumped up to .261/.306/.375 on the season thanks to his performance this month.
And while Yoshida may not be in the best interest of the club’s future and his contract may not have worked out as many had hoped, should he help carry the team into the playoffs, then he may go down in a positive light in the history of the Red Sox. The team is no stranger to having folk heroes emerge during October (Steve Pearce, anyone?). To think that Yoshida, a player who spent most of the season on the injured list, could carry the team through September is what makes baseball so great.
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