Halfway through his first MLB season, Masataka Yoshida is surpassing expectations
When the Red Sox signed Masataka Yoshida to a five-year contract worth $ 90 million in December, many in baseball thought it was an overpay. Yoshida had spent years terrorizing pitchers in Nippon Professional Baseball, but the record-setting deal was seen as a gamble. Halfway through the season, Yoshida has become vital to the Red Sox offense and proven all his doubters wrong.
Through the first 73 games of Yoshida’s MLB career, he has posted a .305 batting average and .854 OPS. The 29-year-old has shown some power with 28 extra-base hits. While plenty of baseball remains to be played, Yoshida is proving to be an on-base machine and reliable run producer.
Entering play on Monday, Yoshida has the third most runs batted on the team with 41. That is impressive for any rookie, especially Yoshida, who is adjusting to a new league thousands of miles from home. The talented outfielder has made the transition seem effortless at times and ranks in the top ten in the American League in batting average and on-base percentage.
Additionally, the Japanese native is surpassing expectations defensively. In 388 innings of work in the outfield, Yoshida has only committed two errors and recorded two assists. He has a .973 fielding percentage and added to his highlight reel numerous times.
Although the 2023 campaign has been a roller-coaster ride for the Red Sox, Yoshida is making a difference on a nightly basis. He already has six three-hit games and one AL Player of The Week Award. For many, he was seen as an All-Star game snub when the reserves were announced on Sunday night, and his name was nowhere to be found.
As the Red Sox look to make a playoff run, Yoshida will be relied on heavily in the second half. He has shown a unique ability to hit for power and get on base. He also makes adjustments when needed, making it hard for opponents to keep him from doing damage.
While the Red Sox offense has been inconsistent at times during the 2023 campaign, Yoshida has been at the center of their success.
Follow Jamie on Twitter @JamieGatlin17
For additional Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, MLB and NFL content follow Beyond the Monster on Twitter @BeyondtheMnstr.
Join our new Facebook group for all of our latest content, click the link here.
