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Player Outlook
Masataka Yoshida's first season in MLB came mostly as advertised. His exceptional contact rate carried over, but the rest of his game is still a work in progress. Yoshida recorded ample homers and steals to have reasonable hopes he improves in his second season. An area he can improve immediately is on-base skills. In Japan, Yoshida routinely posted double-digit walk rates, but he worked a free pass just 5.9% of the time in his rookie campaign. Only six of his 15 homers came at home, though 21 of his 33 doubles were in Fenway Park. This makes sense since Yoshida's flyball rate was just 26.9 percent. He swiped eight bases, but wasn't caught, suggesting he could run a little more. Yoshida's defense in left field was below par, which is an issue since his bat doesn't play as a full-time designated hitter. Still, Boston will continue to play Yoshida nearly every day, sitting him against some southpaws despite displaying limited platoon splits. He offers a strong batting average floor, with 20 homers and 15 stolen base upside.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
r
Runs
hr
Home Runs
rbi
Runs Batted In
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
sb
Stolen Bases
avg
Batting Average
2024 .000
2023 398.52.8 71 15 72 34 8 .289
Projections Powered by
Fantasy Performance by Week
91%
Roster
69%
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Fantasy News

  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Seeing time in OF

    Yoshida started in left field and went 1-for-4 in Saturday's spring game against Minnesota. Yoshida, who is expected to serve as the primary designated hitter this season, has started in left field five times in his last six spring games. That's partially due to Tyler O'Neill's lingering calf issue. O'Neill has not played the field since March 14, although the team believes he'll be ready for full duty by Opening Day, per Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. Yoshida is 9-for-44 (.205) with five doubles, a home run and six RBI over 16 spring games.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Underwent jaw surgery last fall

    Yoshida revealed recently that he underwent surgery last fall on his jaw to correct temporomandibular joint dysfunction, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. It's an issue which Yoshida had for a few years and led to headaches and other discomfort. He now feels much better after the procedure. Yoshida noted that it affected him more with everyday tasks and not necessarily while he was playing baseball, but it can't hurt his outlook now that he's more comfortable. He's slated to be Boston's primary designated hitter this season.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Expected to be primary DH

    Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Tuesday that he expects Yoshida to receive the majority of the at-bats at designated hitter, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports. It's the direction things have been pointing after Yoshida struggled defensively in left field in his first year in Boston. Tyler O'Neill is slated to play left field for the Red Sox, while Wilyer Abreu looks like the early favorite to handle right field, at least against right-handed pitching. Yoshida slashed .289/.338/.445 with 15 home runs in 2023 but had just a .663 OPS after the All-Star break.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Absent from lineup

    Yoshida is not in the lineup for Friday's contest in Baltimore. This is the third time in a row Yoshida won't be in the lineup against a left-hander. Rob Refsnyder will patrol left field and Justin Turner will be the team's designated hitter.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Drives in two in loss

    Yoshida went 1-for-4 with two RBI in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to Texas. Yoshida had gone nine straight games without an RBI before his two-run single in the third inning. The outfielder appears to be tiring under the grind of the MLB season. Yoshida is batting .196 (10-for-51) over 14 games in September and has a .640 OPS since the All-Star break.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: On bench again Monday

    Yoshida is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. Yoshida has not opened a game against a left-handed starter since Aug. 17, and with Boston facing a southpaw for the second time is as many games, Yoshida will work as a reserve for a second straight day.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Taking seat for first game

    Yoshida is not in the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. Wilyer Abreu will be in left field for the afternoon contest. Expect Yoshida back in the lineup for the second game of the double dip.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Sitting out night game

    Yoshida is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Yankees. Yoshida heads to the bench after going 0-for-4 with a walk in the day game. Rob Refsnyder is getting the start in left field with lefty Carlos Rodon starting for New York.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Out of lineup Sunday

    Yoshida is not in the lineup Sunday against the Orioles. Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Alex Verdugo will start across the outfield as Justin Turner serves as Boston's designated hitter. This looks to be a routine day of rest for Yoshida, who went 3-for-6 with three singles and two runs scored in Saturday's loss to Baltimore.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Clobbers three-run homer

    Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's 7-3 victory over the Royals. Yoshida plated Justin Turner and Tristan Casas on a three-run shot in the fourth inning off Zack Greinke for the outfielder's 14th long ball of 2023. The outing broke Yoshida out of a mini-slump, entering Sunday's game 1-for-9 across his last three games. Through 120 appearances, Yoshida is slashing .296/.350/.462 and is striking out at a 12.3 percent clip.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Coming off bench Sunday

    Yoshida is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. Though the lefty-hitting Yoshida will be on the bench for the second straight game while the Dodgers open the game with left-hander Caleb Ferguson on the mound, the rookie outfielder could make an early appearance off the bench. Right-hander Gavin Stone is expected to take over once Ferguson exits the contest, at which point Yoshida could be called upon to replace Justin Turner at designated hitter or Adam Duvall in left field.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Not in Saturday's lineup

    Yoshida will not start Saturday's game against the Dodgers, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. Yoshida has had a near-everyday role for most of the season, but his off day here against Julio Urias means he's now sat against two of the last three southpaws the Red Sox have faced. Yoshida hasn't shown any splits whatsoever in his first MLB season, posting an identical 115 wRC+ against both lefties and righties, but given that he's slumped to a .206/.219/.284 line over his last 26 games, it makes sense that Boston would want to give him a few more days off, with those off days likely to come against same-sided pitching. Rob Refsnyder starts in left field.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Takes seat Wednesday

    Yoshida is absent from the lineup Wednesday at Houston. Justin Turner will occupy the designated-hitter role for the visiting Red Sox and Wilyer Abreu will start in left field. Yoshida appears to be getting a scheduled day off after going 1-for-5 with a single in Tuesday's loss to the Astros. He boasts a .295/.349/.459 batting line with 13 home runs, 61 RBI, eight stolen bases and 61 runs scored through his first 111 major-league games.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Homers, drives in four

    Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBI in Friday's 8-3 win over the Yankees. Yoshida put an exclamation point on the Red Sox' four-run first inning, finding the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium when he ripped a three-run blast off Jhony Brito. He plated another run in the second with an RBI single. Yoshida was on the bench for back-to-back games earlier this week as he battled through an August slump, but he's now tallied two straight multi-hit efforts, and his four RBI on Friday more than doubled his total for the month.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Sitting again Wednesday

    Yoshida remains out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Nationals. Rob Refsnyder, Adam Duvall and Alex Verdugo will start across the outfield as the Red Sox take on left-hander MacKenzie Gore. Justin Turner is filling the DH role. Yoshida, who also sat Tuesday with a right-hander on the mound for Washington, has slashed just .252/.278/.398 in 108 plate appearances since the All-Star break.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Taking seat Tuesday

    Yoshida is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. The Nats are starting right-hander Josiah Gray, but the left-handed hitting Yoshida nonetheless will find himself on the bench to begin the game. Jarren Duran will be in left field.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Getting day off

    Yoshida is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals. The Royals are starting left-hander Austin Cox in what will be a bullpen game. Yoshida could enter the game once Kansas City puts a righty in there, but he'll begin the festivities on the bench.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Extends multi-hit streak

    Yoshida went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Saturday's 10-3 win over the Athletics. Yoshida is sizzling right now with multiple hits in six consecutive games. The outfielder is 13-for-25 with two doubles, one home run, four RBI, five runs scored and two steals during that stretch. Saturday's theft was his fifth stolen base in 77 games.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Absent from lineup

    Yoshida is not in the lineup for Friday's game versus the Athletics, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports. He will take a seat while Jarren Duran handles left field and Adam Duvall plays center. Yoshida has tallied five straight multi-hit games.
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  • Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Returns to lineup Tuesday

    Yoshida (leg) is back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. Yoshida missed one game with a sore leg as a result of being hit by a pitch, but he's ready to go following the off day Monday. He will play left field and bat third versus Dane Dunning.
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