MASATAKA YOSHIDA NEWS

Masataka Yoshida's second RBI | 04/02/2023 Masataka Yoshida laces his second RBI single to center field, giving the Red Sox a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the 5th

APRIL 2, 2023 • MLB.COM

Masataka Yoshida reaches after error | 04/01/2023 After Ryan McKenna drops the fly ball in left field, Masataka Yoshida reaches first base in a crucial base hit in the bottom of the 9th

APRIL 2, 2023 • MLB.COM

Masataka Yoshida's two-hit game | 03/30/2023 Masataka Yoshida has a strong Opening Day performance, getting two hits and one RBI in four at-bats for the Red Sox

MARCH 31, 2023 • MLB.COM

Logs two hits in MLB debut Yoshida went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Orioles.

Impact After dominating at the plate in both spring training and the World Baseball Classic, Yoshida was able to continue his hot streak at the plate Thursday. He's certain to get a lot of playing time in the Red Sox's outfield this season, but it is hard to judge how valuable he will become to fantasy owners beyond his ability to hit for average.

MARCH 30, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

MLB season preview: Staff predictions on MVP, Cy Young, ROY, World Series

With the 2023 MLB season commencing, who's going to win MVP? Cy Young? Rookie of the Year? The World Series? Our staff experts make their pi...

MARCH 30, 2023

Returns to Grapefruit League Yoshida started in left field and went 0-for-2 with a walk in Friday's spring game against Atlanta.

Impact Yoshida returned to Boston after starring in the World Baseball Classic for Japan. The outfielder went 9-for-22 with two home runs and a WBC-leading 13 RBI. On Friday, he slotted in at cleanup, where he's expected to hit when the regular season kicks off next week.

MARCH 25, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Homer helps Japan advance to final Yoshida slugged a home run, drew a walk and scored the winning run Monday in a 6-5 victory for Team Japan over Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Impact With Japan down 3-0, Yoshida smoked a homer to right field that tied the game. After drawing a walk in the ninth, he came around to score the winning run on a Munetaka Murakami double that also scored Shohei Ohtani to give Japan the victory. Yoshida is expected to hit cleanup for the Red Sox in his rookie year but first will square off against Team USA on Tuesday in the World Baseball Classic finale.

MARCH 21, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Expected to hit cleanup Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters that he expects Yoshida to hit cleanup to open the 2023 season, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.

Impact Cora believes that the Red Sox lineup will feature Rafael Devers hitting second, Justin Turner third and Yoshida in the cleanup spot. The outfielder was signed to a five-year, $90 million contract out of Japan in December, and Boston will give him a prime opportunity to hit square in the middle of the lineup. With those two names ahead of him -- particularly Devers -- Yoshida should see plenty of RBI chances in 2023 if he can remain in the fourth spot in the lineup.

MARCH 19, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Crushes homer in WBC Yoshida hit his first home run of the World Baseball Classic in Thursday's 9-3 win over Italy.

Impact Yoshida also knocked in the go-ahead run on an RBI grounder and leads the WBC with 10 RBI. Overall, the biggest offseason addition to Boston's outfield is batting .400 (6-for-15) with a 1.189 OPS. When he returns from the competition, Yoshida is expected to serve as the Red Sox's starting left fielder and likely a middle-of-the-order bat.

MARCH 17, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Jennings: The Masataka Yoshida batting practice show was worth the wait All of it plays into an overwhelmingly positive first impression in Yoshida's first two weeks of spring training.

MARCH 1, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Leadoff spot not likely Manager Alex Cora indicated Sunday that Yoshida won't bat leadoff and is more likely to hit in the middle of the order, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Impact Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million contract Boston in early December and was presumed to be a leadoff option against right-handed starting pitchers, but the club apparently has different plans. Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been adamant about separating left-handed hitters Yoshida and Rafael Devers, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. Since Devers likes batting second, Cora appears to be happy to oblige the team's best hitter. Batting out of the middle of the lineup should still provide plenty of fantasy value for the 29-year-old Yoshida, who had a .335/.449/.559 slash line with 21 home runs in 121 games in Japan last year.

FEBRUARY 26, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

In lineup Friday Yoshida will be in the lineup for Friday's exhibition game against Northeastern University, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Impact Yoshida will be one of several regulars to take part in the Red Sox's traditional kickoff to spring action against the Huskies. Several members of the team will be leaving soon for the World Baseball Classic, so manager Alex Cora wants to give them at-bats before leaving camp. Of note, Yoshida will bat cleanup Friday, but he is expected to serve as Boston's leadoff hitter during the regular season.

FEBRUARY 24, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Masataka Yoshida may have a powerful surprise in store for Red Sox - The Boston Globe The Japanese outfielder is expected to bat leadoff, but he is showing signs that the home run could be a bonus part of his game.

FEBRUARY 22, 2023 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

Watch Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida, Triston Casas take BP, Bryan Mata pitch (videos) Watch videos from the Red Sox's workout Wednesday, including Triston Casas taking BP.

FEBRUARY 22, 2023 • MASSLIVE.COM

Red Sox's Alex Cora identifies 3 players (other than Masataka Yoshida) who might lead off The Red Sox envision Masataka Yoshida hitting frequently in the leadoff spot but Alex Cora has other candidates in mind, too.

FEBRUARY 18, 2023 • MASSLIVE.COM

From Fukuoka to Fort Myers: He scouted Masataka Yoshida, and is now translating for him Kento Matsumoto, the scout who helped the Red Sox identify Masataka Yoshida, was flown in from Japan to be Yoshida's temporary translator.

FEBRUARY 17, 2023 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Ranking the best 49 outfielders of 2023 in the MLB

Who are baseball's best outfielders? Ben Verlander breaks down his five tiers for all three positions.

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Expected to bat leadoff Yoshida is likely to bat leadoff for the Red Sox, manager Alex Cora indicated to Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican Tuesday.

Impact Cora noted that he planned to split up the left-handed hitting Yoshida and Rafael Devers in the batting order, which could put Devers in the three spot. The on-base skills Yoshida showed in Japan seemed to make him an ideal fit for the top of Boston's lineup, and it appears his manager agrees. It remains to be seen who might hit second in between the two lefties, but Enrique Hernandez is a candidate.

FEBRUARY 14, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Masataka Yoshida got a taste of American culture (and Puerto Rican food) at Alex Cora's Super Bowl watch party - The Boston Globe Masataka learned the rules from a contingent of Red Sox, including Trevor Story, Kiké Hernández, third base coach Carlos Febles, and former...

FEBRUARY 14, 2023 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

Watch: New Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida shows off power at the plate - The Boston Globe Yoshida stepped to the plate and showed why he was signed to a five-year, $90 million contract with some impressive cuts at Fenway South.

FEBRUARY 9, 2023 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

New outfielder Masataka Yoshida arrives early at Red Sox camp - The Boston Globe Yoshida will have to depart camp for a portion of March to play in the World Baseball Classic for Japan.

FEBRUARY 8, 2023 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM