Although they’ve seemed to turn it around slightly this week, it’s no secret that the Boston Red Sox have struggled so far this season. Critics can point to the pitching. Some can point to the defense. The bats haven’t exactly been great all around either. There are a few players who stand out at the plate at this point, though. Of course, Wilyer Abreu had a tremendous start to the season and is still doing well. Connor Wong has stuck out too, surprising some fans who were skeptical after his lackluster 2025 season. But there’s one other major contributor who may not be crushing homers at the plate, but he is producing.
Masataka Yoshida Getting More Crucial Role with Red Sox
In the offseason, there were major questions about the crowded outfield in Boston. With Abreu, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, and Ceddanne Rafaela, the assumption was that three of those would take the outfield, and the fourth would be the designated hitter. However, that left Masataka Yoshida’s place with the team uncertain. He was too tricky to move due to $54 million remaining on his five-year, $90 million contract. But he was slowly being pushed out.
After his World Baseball Classic performance, in which he hit .375 for Team Japan, his value seemed to increase. This would’ve made him more appealing for a team to trade with. But Boston decided to stick with him. After all, Yoshida was one of the major reasons why they were able to stay in the playoff race in September of 2025. The team went 13-11 over that period, but he batted .333.
Yoshida’s Good Start To 2026
To start the season, it may not have looked like Yoshida had an impact at all, going 0-for-9 in his first six games (some were pinch-hit appearances). However, he walked six times in that span. Unfortunately, he wasn’t lucky enough to make it all the way around home, but he got on base. Then came last Sunday against the San Diego Padres. Yoshida didn’t just get his first hit. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles. He also knocked in three runs and stole a base. Boston’s bullpen would unfortunately blow that game and lose 8-6.
NOW MASATAKA YOSHIDA COMES THROUGH WITH HIS FIRST HIT OF 2026! MAKE IT 4-0! pic.twitter.com/94X4DZ5tkA
— Tyler Milliken (@tylermilliken_) April 5, 2026
He would appear the next day as well against the Milwaukee Brewers, going 1-for-3 in the (coincidentally) 8-6 loss, but getting walked twice. This brings his season total up to eight, second on the Red Sox behind Willson Contreras (11). The Red Sox haven’t started out in an ideal way, but with Yoshida, some of their highest-scoring losses of the season are with him in the lineup.
- 3/31: 6-5 L vs. CIN (11 innings)
- 4/5: 8-6 L vs. SDP
- 4/6: 8-6 L vs. MIL
Now, it’s unclear on how big of a role Masataka Yoshida will have over the course of the season, especially given that the crowded outfield pushes him out of the DH spot he regularly occupies. In his limited appearances, however, he’s got a 33.3% walk rate and an .875 OPS, second on the team behind Abreu. But if he continues at this pace and it leads to some wins, it’s certainly beneficial for the turnaround.
