"In the 2022 season the outfielder hit .335/.447/.561 with 21 home runs. He drew 80 walks against just 41 strikeouts. Obviously, no one expected him to duplicate the line entirely. Maybe not hit for as much power. Maybe not quite the same strikeouts and walks - though his batting skill was main draw for Yoshida so possibly not as much change."
"And if you were excited about his potential - as Chaim Bloom surely was - Yoshida would exceed all rational thought. Through the tournament he hit an insane .409/.531/.727 with two home runs and a double. He walked four times against a single strikeout. He won the MVP as Japan took the crown."
"In 2023, Yoshida played in 140 games and hit .289/.338/.445 with 15 home runs and 81 strikeouts compared to just 34 walks. That's a solid year to build off. He battled injuries in 2024 but despite playing in only 108 games he was still worth 1.4 bWAR."
The Boston Red Sox signed Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million deal in December 2022, drawing mixed reactions given recent free agent departures. Yoshida came from the Orix Buffaloes with impressive credentials, hitting .335 with excellent plate discipline in 2022. His first year included a standout WBC performance where he hit .409 with an MVP award as Japan won the tournament. In his three seasons with Boston, Yoshida has produced solid results: a .289 average with 15 home runs in 2023 and a .280 average with 10 home runs in 2024 despite playing only 108 games due to injuries. Manager Alex Cora transitioned him to designated hitter duties.
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