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What Alex Cora called ‘really good’ for Red Sox after seeing Masataka Yoshida play in WBC
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- What Alex Cora called ‘really good’ for Red Sox after seeing Masataka Yoshida play in WBC
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Masataka Yoshida ’s situation is one of the more interesting Red Sox storylines with the regular season opener in just 10 days.
How does he fit and how much playing time will he receive with the way the roster is constructed?
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The Red Sox have four outfielders — Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu — capable of being everyday starters. Duran and Anthony are likely to split time between left field and DH. That creates a situation where Yoshida, who has made 97% of his starts the past two seasons at DH, won’t play much — unless he receives occasional starts in the outfield in addition to his occasional time at DH.
Yoshida was back at Red Sox spring training camp Monday after a strong showing for Japan in the WBC. He went 6-for-16 (.375) with a .444 on-base percentage, two home runs, one double and six RBIs in five games.
He is scheduled to lead off and serve as the DH on Tuesday when the Red Sox host the Braves at JetBlue Park.
Yoshida played 27 innings in left field during the WBC, something manager Alex Cora highlighted as a positive for the Red Sox.
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“The fact that he played the outfield was good for us,” Cora said Monday at JetBlue Park. “It’s actually really good for us. He was moving well. He made some good throws that we saw. In the last game, there were some balls that were hammered in the left-center gap. He got to it, got rid of it. And the at-bats are always good.”
With Yoshida healthy, Cora said the Red Sox feel like they are getting the 2023 first half version of him. The 32-year-old enjoyed an excellent first half as a rookie in 2023, batting .316 with a .382 on-base percentage, .492 slugging percentage, .874 OPS, 10 home runs, 19 doubles, two triples and 44 RBIs in 78 games.
He has not been able to return to that level after major surgery on his right shoulder in October 2024.
“I do believe we’re getting that version,” Cora said.
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How much playing time the Red Sox will be willing to give him in a crowded outfield is anyone’s guess at this point.
“It’s on me,” Cora said. “My job is to use everybody, and I’ll make it work. We will make it work. ... We’re in a good spot. We got good players. We just have to make sure we keep them healthy. And it’s not a problem. It’s actually a luxury.”
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