Masataka Yoshida will become more of a designated hitter for the 2024 season, according to Red Sox manager Alex Cora, who will no longer be letting him scavenge in the outfield every day.
“Macho Man” Yoshida, who ranked 86th in offensive fWAR among eligible big leaguers, made an immediate offensive impact in his rookie campaign. Last season, he had the 10th-best strikeout percentage in MLB (14%), demonstrating his outstanding bat-to-ball ability that earned him recognition during his NPB career.
But when the Red Sox signed Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million contract that included a $15.4 million posting fee to the Orix Buffaloes, Yoshida’s previous club in Japan, baseball pundits rightly pointed out his lack of athleticism and defensive deficiencies. With a Red Sox team that ranked dead last in outs above average, his -14.9 Defensive fWAR was the third-worst. Out of 582 MLB players, Yoshida’s sprint speed of 26.2 feet per second placed him 453rd in the previous season. He ought to be a daily DH.
