Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter to avoid surgery on hand, there is no timetable for his return to the lineup
Red Sox outfielder and designated hitter Masataka Yoshida received a third opinion on his injured thumb, and it was determined he will not need surgery.
Yoshida is expected to be out for a while, and Alex Cora told reporters that the 30-year-old will not swing a bat for at least a few weeks.
“Now we’ve just gotta wait,” Cora said before the Red Sox series opener against the Nationals at Fenway Park. "Obviously, treatment, and then see how he feels in a few weeks. We go from there. No swinging. But at least we know that at one point he’s going to be available, and he’s going to be able to help us.”
Yoshida has been on the injured list with a left thumb sprain since May 1. He was hurt during a game on April 28 after he jammed his hand during an at-bat.
Prior to his injury, Yoshida was batting .275 with three doubles, two homers, 12 runs, 11 RBI, six walks, and a .736 OPS in 24 games. Yoshida is in the second year of the five-year, $90 million contract he signed in the winter of 2022.
With the Japanese slugger out of the lineup for the foreseeable future, the Red Sox will continue to rotate players in the designated hitter spot.
During the offseason, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said his preference was to rotate players versus one player at DH. This would theoretically offer the Red Sox positional versatility. Instead, the club opted to go with Yoshida at the position in favor of a more athletic outfield. Boston has gotten little production out of the DH position and is 21st in baseball with a .675 OPS from that spot. If the team is in contention around the trade deadline, they could look to upgrade and find a hitter that’ll complement the lineup better.
