Red Sox' Masataka Yoshida staying in Boston this offseason following shoulder surgery
Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida went under the knife at the end of the season to repair cartilage in his right shoulder. The team announced on Oct. 3 he underwent successful right shoulder labral repair surgery.
His procedure comes at a tough time for the Red Sox who could have looked to seriously move the former outfielder and now designated hitter to rid themselves of his salary and limited positional versatility.
A Red Sox lineup without Yoshida could’ve allowed Triston Casas, Trevor Story, Rafael Devers, and whoever they signed in free agency to get the day off from playing in the field and focus on getting key at-bats.
Yoshida will spend his offseason in Boston to stay close to the team’s medical staff as he makes his return from surgery, according to the Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham.
Yoshida’s second season with the Red Sox saw him primarily as the team’s designated hitter after playing left field as a rookie in 2023. The left-handed hitter played in 108 games; he hit .280 with 10 homers with 56 RBI, 21 doubles, and two stolen bases while recording a .764 OPS.
“Going into my second year, I was expecting a lot from myself. It was actually far from what I expected myself to be,” Yoshida said during the last week of the season. “Compared to other elite, first-class guys, I’m not there yet, physically or mentally.”
Yoshida told Japanese reporters that his shoulder injury prevented him from throwing long distances this season. Meanwhile, the Red Sox maintained all season long that Yoshida not playing the field was not related to physical issues. Alex Cora said that Yoshida not playing the field had more to do with the abundance of outfielders on the roster.
With the offseason officially underway, the idea of the Red Sox trading Yoshida with $54 million owed to him and a shoulder injury is slim to none. If he remains with the Sox, Yoshida needs to come in better shape to last a full 162-game season.