Masataka Yoshida, one of the Boston Red Sox’ premier free agent signings in the 2022 offseason, will begin the 2025 season in Triple-A Worcester. Ian Brown of MLB.com reported the news early Saturday afternoon.
The Red Sox enter 2025 with a massive logjam of left-handed hitters as well as outfielders, though Brown’s report states that the plan is for Yoshida to go to Worcester to “continue to build out his throwing program.”
While he remained a steady offensive presence in the Sox lineup in 2024, slashing .280 with 10 home runs and 56 RBIs over 108 games, nagging shoulder problems reduced his production and availability as the regular season waned. The decline in power and his continued struggles defensively in left field limited his overall impact. Yoshida underwent surgery on October 3, 2024, to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.
He has played in spring training games as a designated hitter, but he has not yet played in the outfield in 2025. This raises questions that the assignment is a phantom âinjuryâ stint and rehab assignment.
The Red Sox may also be utilizing the demotion as an opportunity to instill confidence in the veteran and communicate their expectations, particularly given his weighty salary.
Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Red Sox in December 2022, which included a $3 million signing bonus.
Prior to joining Boston, Yoshida had a stellar career in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Orix Buffaloes, where he maintained a .327 batting average over seven seasons.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Red Sox Shocker: $90MM Outfielder to Start Season in Minors appeared first on Heavy Sports.