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‘Lucky’ Red Sox hero Masataka Yoshida: ‘You never know when my number gets called’
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- ‘Lucky’ Red Sox hero Masataka Yoshida: ‘You never know when my number gets called’
BOSTON — Hours before Friday's first pitch, after leaving Masataka Yoshida out of the lineup again, Red Sox manager Alex Cora admitted he had been tempted to play Yoshida against the Tigers and starter Casey Mize . Cora's temptation – and a heavy dose of patience — led to a win 10 innings later.
Yoshida sat on Boston's bench for nearly the entirety of a pitcher's duel between Mize and Red Sox lefty Ranger Suárez , then ended the game with a pinch-hit, walk-off single that scored Jarren Duran from third base and gave the Red Sox a 1-0, extra-innings win . In a situation where the Red Sox badly needed to put the ball in play, Yoshida drilled a 91.3 mph single into the ground seven feet in front of him. The Tigers were playing in and the ball cleared the right side of the infield. It was fitting, in a way, that Boston's fifth outfielder beat a Tigers five-man infield.
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"I think I just got lucky," said Yoshida (through interpreter Yutaro Yamaguchi). "It bounced pretty high, so I was hoping it was gonna go through."
The single represented the first walk-off of Boston's season — and the first in the majors for Yoshida. It was familiar, though, in a way, because of what the Red Sox were wearing. Boston has won seven of 12 games in its "Fenway Greens" jerseys that were introduced last summer, with all seven wins coming as walk-offs. This time, Yoshida — pinch-hitting for Caleb Durbin with one out — was the hero in a moment he called "really exciting."
"In a situation that this place is going nuts and we know we need to win games, he stayed calm, got a pitch and hit it hard," said manager Alex Cora.
For the 11th time in 19 games to start the season, Yoshida found himself as the odd man out when the lineup was released Friday night. With Cora mixing and matching five players through three outfield positions and the designated hitter spot nightly , it has been Yoshida who has suffered the most. His 38 plate appearances so far pale in comparison to the totals for Roman Anthony (80), Wilyer Abreu (75), Jarren Duran (71) and Ceddanne Rafaela (61). Still, Yoshida has produced.
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Counting his walk-off hit Friday, the 32-year-old has gone 9-for-29 (.310) with three doubles, five RBIs, eight walks and an .888 OPS so far this season. Adjusting to a part-time role has been hard — but hasn't prevented Yoshida from doing his part in a sluggish Red Sox offense.
"You never know when my number gets called," Yoshida said. "There's a challenge there that I don't know when it's going to be my time. Just trying to stay ready whenever my number gets called.
"Throughout the season, some guys have bad days and some guys have good days. Whenever I'm in the lineup, I want to contribute and put out my best day."
Cora considered using Yoshida as a pinch-hitter at different spots from the fifth inning on, but waited until a do-or-die situation in the 10th. After Duran advanced to third on a wild pitch, Marcelo Mayer worked a one-out walk and Cora took out Durbin, who earlier in the game had doubled off the stingy Mize. Yoshida took three pitches from Will Vest , then got a fastball at the top of the zone. The matchup against the right-handed Vest was one the Red Sox liked.
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"I know it's not easy," Cora said, "but having that guy on the bench or having Roman on the bench or Jarren in situations like that, you have to pick your poison on the other side. They're good hitters, all of them. We're going to use them the way we want to use them.
"He's just a professional and in these situations, I know how it feels. You want to play. Let's be honest. Masa was one of the best in Japan. We got him for a reason here. He has been banged up, and now all of the sudden this is how we're gonna play the game with this roster. We're gonna maximize it."
The Red Sox want Abreu and Rafaela to play daily to maximize their outfield defense. Anthony, perhaps Boston's most talented hitter, is going to keep leading off after a tough start. Duran is a creature of habit who will benefit from a daily routine. All of those factors leave the Red Sox with a part-time player who is both a spare part and a trade candidate in this, the fourth year of a five-year, $90 million contract .
On Friday night, though, Yoshida delivered, as he often has so far in 2026.
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"I bet sometimes he wonders, 'What's gonna happen?' said Cora. "At the same time, he prepares, he's a great teammate. You see him doing his defensive work, running the bases, just staying ready. He has been good for us so far this season."
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