Masataka Yoshida ready to make the most of his playing time
Despite being involved in trade rumors all offseason, Masataka Yoshida is still on the Red Sox roster. Over the last few days, where members of the 2025 Red Sox will line up has been a hot topic and dominated headlines. As the talented 31-year-old prepares for his third MLB season, he is ready to contribute.
During the 2024 campaign, most of Yoshida's appearances came as the designated hitter. He played just one inning in left field, compared to the 87 games he played in left the season before. Based on recent comments from Red Sox manager Alex Cora, that will not be the case in 2025.
"[Yoshida] is going to be part of the picture," Cora reporters on Tuesday. "We've just got to get him going. Last year, he was a DH. This year, we need him to play defense. It's a different season."
Although Yoshida is not known for his fielding, he has proven to be a valuable bat when healthy. Through his first two years in the majors, he has posted a .285 batting average and driven in 128 runs. In that span, he has also shown some power with 25 home runs and 54 doubles. He has been at his best at Fenway with a .292 batting average in 52 games.
While that is production, any team would love to have the Red Sox have a plethora of outfielders. That includes Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, Rob Refsnyder, and Ceddanne Rafaela. They will soon be joined by Roman Anthony, one of the best prospects in baseball.
Due to their depth, the Red Sox are in a great position to use it to their advantage. However, Yoshida's focus is on helping this team win regardless of the rumors swirling around him or the role he is asked to play.
"My job is to give it all and my best," Yoshida said. "Whatever my job calls for – if it's to DH or play the outfield – I'm just giving my best. I'm still here on this team."
