Masataka Yoshida Opens Up on Red Sox Struggles, Trade Rumors, and a Fresh Start Ahead
Masataka Yoshida didn’t mince words when asked how his first three seasons with the Boston Red Sox have gone.
“Not what I expected,” he said through an interpreter on Saturday, offering a candid glimpse into the mindset of a player who’s found himself in an increasingly uncertain role.
Yoshida arrived in Boston with high expectations and a five-year, $90 million contract in hand back in December 2022. He was a star in Japan, known for his elite contact skills and disciplined approach at the plate. But three seasons into his MLB journey, the fit hasn’t been seamless - and Yoshida knows it.
The numbers paint a picture of a player still trying to find his rhythm. In 303 games, he’s posted a .282 batting average with a .762 OPS and a 109 OPS+, solid but not quite the impact presence Boston had hoped for. The power hasn’t translated the way many expected - 29 home runs and a .425 slugging percentage over three seasons - and his role has been anything but consistent.
Now, with the Red Sox outfield crowded and the designated hitter spot in flux, Yoshida finds himself in a bit of a limbo. He’s heard the trade rumors.
He knows the roster crunch. And he’s navigating all of it while trying to stay focused on what he can control.
“It’s hard to say,” Yoshida responded when asked if a trade might be the best outcome. “That’s not what I’m thinking right now. All my thinking right now is to perform, play well, play hard.”
That mindset is easier said than lived when your role isn’t clearly defined. The Red Sox plan to rotate their fourth outfielder through the DH spot, which further complicates Yoshida’s situation. And with Rafael Devers having occupied the DH role for a good chunk of last season while recovering from his own issues, Yoshida’s opportunities were already limited.
In 2025, he played just 55 games as he worked his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. His numbers - a .266 average with a .696 OPS - were underwhelming on the surface. But a closer look shows a late-season surge: over his final 20 games, Yoshida hit .333 with an .837 OPS, flashing the kind of production the Red Sox were hoping to see more consistently.
Now healthy, Yoshida is looking ahead. He had a full offseason to train and rehab, and he’s gearing up to represent Team Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic - a chance for a fresh start and a return to familiar ground.
“It’s special,” he said of the opportunity to play for Japan. “I just want to deliver, bring out a good performance and please the Japanese fans.”
As for what comes next with the Red Sox, Yoshida is staying open-minded. There’s still $37 million left on the final two years of his deal, which makes moving him complicated. Trades are a normal part of life in MLB, but for Yoshida, it’s a new experience - one that wasn’t part of the culture back in Nippon Professional Baseball.
“That’s something I didn’t really experience back in Japan,” he said. “Trades don’t really happen that much, as often as they do here.
It’s something new, but if you trade somebody, both teams have to agree, so that’s going to be tough. It’s part of the business, but it’s something that’s new to me after I got here.”
In the meantime, he remains with Boston, working to carve out his place on a team that’s still figuring out how all the pieces fit. Whether he ends up staying or moving on, Yoshida’s approach remains the same: stay ready, stay focused, and let the rest play out.
“It depends on what the situation is,” he said. “But I’m open to anything.”
Yoshida’s journey in MLB hasn’t followed the script - but with a clean bill of health, a motivated mindset, and the World Baseball Classic on the horizon, the next chapter could offer the reset he’s been waiting for.