Masataka Yoshida Has Shoulder Surgery, Red Sox Targeting Opening Day Return
Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida underwent shoulder surgery to repair the labrum in his right shoulder on Wednesday. The team is targeting an Opening Day return for the 31-year-old. Yoshida was solid over the 108 games he played this season, especially in the second half when he posted an .823 OPS (.698 in the first half), a .359 wOBA (.310 first half), and a 131 wRC+ (96 first half), but missed all of May and part of June with a thumb injury. If he can manage to stay healthy next season, look for numbers more in line with his 2023 totals of .289-15-72-71-8.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida is not in Saturday's lineup as the Red Sox continue their finals series of the season against the Tampa Bay Rays. Yoshida has gotten the starting nod in each of the past three games and will take another day off on Saturday afternoon. As a result, Mickey Gasper will get serve as the designated hitter. Yoshida has enjoyed an excellent second-half as he has posted a .299/.370/.453 slash line with six home runs and 43 RBI compared to his .260/.325/.373 line he held in the first-half. Fantasy managers should expect Yoshida to return to the starting nine in game No.162 on Sunday. Gasper is best to fade in DFS as he will face Tampa Bay right-hander Shane Baz who has carried a stellar 1.95 ERA and a 0.76 across his past six starts.
With a left-hander on the mound, Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida will retreat to the bench on Thursday against the division-rival New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Tyler O'Neill will serve as the DH and will bat cleanup against Yankees left-hander Nestor Cortes. O'Neill has hit .167 with an RBI in just six career at-bats against Cortes. However, O'Neill comes in riding high after hitting a walk-off home run to beat the division-rival Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. He's also hitting .313 (10-for-32) with five homers and nine RBI in nine games in the month of September. Needless to say, O'Neill is attractive for DFS lineups. The contact-based Yoshida is hitting just .200 (17-for-85) with only two of his nine home runs on the year against left-handed pitchers and is hitless in his four career at-bats against Cortes.
Masataka Yoshida Records Three Hits, Four RBI In Win
Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida recorded three hits with a home run and four RBI in Friday night's win over the hosting division-rival Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. Before hitting an RBI single in the eighth inning on Friday against Baltimore, Yoshida cranked a three-run homer off O's ace Corbin Burnes to right field to extend the Red Sox lead to 8-4 in the fourth frame. In 35 games since the start of July, the left-handed-hitting 31-year-old outfielder is batting a hot .336 (44-for-131) with six homers, 30 RBI, and 21 runs scored as Boston's primary DH against right-handed pitching.
Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida went 4-for-5 and scored two runs in Monday's 9-5 win at the Kansas City Royals. Yoshida had a pair of doubles while snapping out of a five-game hitless stretch after recording multiple hits in four of his previous five games. He is hitting .277/.352/.393 with five homers, 34 RBI, and 29 runs scored in an injury-plagued season limiting him to 63 games. Yoshida's all-around skills make him a solid asset in all formats, and, considering he hit 15 homers and stole eight bases in 2023, his best has yet to come.
Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida had a solid game at the plate in Monday's 14-7 win over the Mariners. Yoshida went 3-for-5 with a single, a double, a two-run home run, and four RBI. The 31-year-old launched a third-inning Logan Gilbert fastball into the center-field seats for his fifth long ball of the season. Yoshida has started to find his power swing in the second half and is now slashing .279/.354/.398 with 24 runs scored and 33 RBI in 226 plate appearances on the season. After missing all of May with a thumb injury, Yoshida has gotten things back on track from a fantasy perspective, which has been helped by the Red Sox playing better baseball lately as a whole.
Masataka Yoshida Rips Game-Winning Single On Friday
Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida ripped a game-winning two RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning during Boston's 9-7 comeback victory over the New York Yankees. Yoshida recorded three RBI in total, raising his season total to 28 on the season. The Japanese lefty, who missed all of May with a thumb injury, has had a stellar July with an .842 OPS and is helping the Red Sox resurgence into the AL playoff picture (5.5 GB of Baltimore in AL East, 1 GB of Kansas City in Wild Card). Fantasy managers are no doubt happy with Yoshida's production and should continue to keep him in their lineups. He'll get another chance to capitalize on his hot July on Saturday when he faces off against Yankees scheduled starter Marcus Stroman.
Wilyer Abreu, Masataka Yoshida Head To Bench Saturday Night
Boston Red Sox outfielders Wilyer Abreu and Masataka Yoshida will head to the bench Saturday night for their tilt against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Veteran Rob Refsnyder will spell Abreu in the outfield, and Tyler O'Neill will DH for Yoshida. Abreu is hitting .260 with eight home runs, 29 RBI, seven stolen bases and 35 runs in 251 plate appearances. Yoshida is hitting .260 with four home runs, 24 RBI, zero stolen bases and 20 runs scored in 194 plate appearances. Both players should return to the starting lineup tomorrow for the series finale.
Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida will retreat to the bench on Friday for the series opener against the visiting Kansas City Royals and left-handed starter Cole Ragans. Tyler O'Neill will serve as the DH and bat third for the BoSox, with veteran Rob Refsnyder starting in right field and batting leadoff. Despite hitting a strong .333 (15-for-45) with two home runs, two doubles and 11 RBI in the last 14 days, Yoshida will hit the bench on Friday against a southpaw. Against lefties in 2024, the Japanese left-handed slugger has gone just 6-for-41 (.146) with two of his four home runs and six strikeouts in 44 plate appearances. Refsnyder will once again be in play as a deep DFS sleeper out of the leadoff spot despite his lack of power. In 83 plate appearances against lefties this year, the 33-year-old has hit .309 (21-for-68) with three of his four long balls.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida had a big game in Thursday's blowout victory versus the Oakland Athletics. Yoshida went 3-for-4 on the evening with a two-run homer and four RBI on the day. Yoshida has really been hitting the ball well of late, with 15 hits over his last 45 at-bats for a pair of homers and 11 RBI. For the season, Yoshida is now hitting .265 with four homers and 24 RBI in 166 at-bats. The 30-year-old missed some time earlier in the season with a left thumb sprain, but returned June 11 and looks to be completely healthy with the way he's swinging the bat of late. After an impressive rookie season in 2023, Yoshida makes for a fine third outfielder or utilityman in deeper mixed leagues.
