Masataka Yoshida had a tough 12 months in 2024, as he was restricted to simply 108 video games by a thumb damage that wound up inflicting rigidity between him and the Pink Sox entrance workplace. On prime of that, Yoshida performed only one inning within the outfield final 12 months and was utilized as a platoon participant with few alternatives in opposition to southpaws. He hit simply .280/.349/.415 in 421 journeys to the plate through the 2024 marketing campaign earlier than going below the knife to restore the labrum in his proper shoulder again in October.
As famous by Chris Cotillo of MassLive, supervisor Alex Cora informed reporters when requested all through the season about Yoshida’s restricted use within the outfield that utilizing him practically solely as a DH was not as a consequence of a well being difficulty and as a substitute was a vote of confidence within the protection of the membership’s quite a few different outfield choices. That appears as if it wasn’t fully the case, nonetheless, as Cora acknowledged at yesterday’s Fenway Fest fan occasion that the shoulder difficulty Yoshida performed by means of final 12 months restricted his means to play the sector by inflicting issues along with his throwing.
“Yeah, our outfield protection was nice final 12 months, however in an ideal world, if he was wholesome, he was going to play the outfield,” Cora stated, as relayed by Cotillo. “The throwing a part of it wasn’t there in order that’s the rationale he truly didn’t play. Hopefully, we will get him there and we will use him within the outfield, too.”
On the time of Yoshida’s surgical procedure, the Pink Sox expressed optimism that he’d be prepared for Opening Day, and he seems to stay on tempo for that objective. Cotillo famous that the 31-year-old is about two weeks away from taking dry swings and will start a throwing program in March, which could lead him to be prepared in a DH-only capability for the beginning of the season earlier than later returning to the outfield grass as wanted. Having Yoshida restricted to DH duties early within the season shouldn’t be a large impediment for the Pink Sox, who don’t have any established on a regular basis DH in the meanwhile and are deep in outfield choices with Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Rob Refsnyder, and maybe even prime prospect Roman Anthony all within the combine for taking part in time in the meanwhile.
After all, this all assumes that Yoshida continues to be within the group by the point Opening Day rolls round. The Pink Sox have made getting extra offense from the proper facet a transparent precedence this offseason, however the membership’s roster is crammed with high quality regulars who bat from the left facet. Duran, Rafael Devers, and Triston Casas all bat lefty and are ticketed for on a regular basis roles as issues stand. They’re joined by Abreu and Yoshida as doubtless platoon choices from the left facet, and Anthony additionally figures to get common at-bats from the left facet as soon as he’s promoted to the majors.
Between earlier reviews of rigidity between Yoshida and the Pink Sox in addition to his questionable match on the membership’s roster, it’s hardly a shock that Yoshida has discovered his identify on the middle of commerce rumors this winter. Yoshida himself acknowledged the thrill surrounding him yesterday, telling Cotillo that he has heard the rumors however {that a} hypothetical commerce is “out of [his] management.” Thus far, it doesn’t appear as if the Pink Sox have gotten a lot curiosity in Yoshida from rival golf equipment and have equally had little success convincing a membership to tackle the ultimate three years and $55.8MM remaining on his contract as half of a bigger deal.
It’s a hefty value to pay for a participant who may profile finest as a platoon DH. In any case, Joc Pederson is a minimize above Yoshida as a hitter in the same function and settled for a two-year, $37MM assure with the Rangers earlier this winter. That contract means that the Pink Sox could solely discover a taker on Yoshida in the event that they’re keen to pay his wage right down to one thing beneath Pederson’s assure or tackle one other inflated contract in return. Provided that, it might make sense for the membership to carry onto Yoshida for a minimum of the beginning of the 2025 season in hopes he can construct up his worth and a extra favorable deal will be labored out down the road. That plan would require committing important enjoying time to Yoshida for a minimum of the primary few months of 2025, probably blocking Anthony from impacting the large league membership early within the 12 months and making a little bit of a logjam within the outfield.
