Masataka Yoshida’s possible path back for October is the kind of development that can turn a roster into a puzzle, and the Red Sox are staring at another one.
For most of the season, Boston has managed to make the outfield and designated hitter situation work itself out. That got easier when Roman Anthony was out, because the lineup card was cleaner even if the team was missing a major piece. His return changed that, and it also helped the Red Sox avoid another awkward call while Masataka Yoshida and Ceddanne Rafaela were banged up.
Now the issue could be back.
Chad Tracy said he would not rule out Yoshida being ready for the playoffs, and if that happens, Boston would have to sort through some uncomfortable choices.
"He's [Yoshida] not on the 60-day (injured list). It's just a matter of how does he heal over the next handful of weeks," the interim skipper said.
If Yoshida gets back in time for October, Mickey Gasper or Nick Sogard could be the ones squeezed out. That would force the Red Sox to decide who stays and who gets left unhappy.
The case against Yoshida, though, is pretty straightforward. He has always been a contact-and-on-base hitter since coming over from Japan, and that profile still shows up in his numbers.
Through 87 games, he is hitting .274/.347/.399 with five homers. Useful?
Sure. But it does not exactly solve Boston’s need for more thump.
And the other side of the equation matters too. Yoshida brings almost nothing defensively, and after a serious hamstring strain, he would be a nonfactor in the outfield.
That is where Gasper starts to look more valuable. The switch-hitter has given Boston a much-needed power jolt, with eight homers in just 187 plate appearances and a .500 slugging percentage.
He has also posted contact and on-base numbers that are similar to Yoshida’s. Add in his ability to catch if needed and play first base, and he offers more ways to help a roster built for October.
Sogard makes a strong case as well. His bat is closer to Yoshida’s than Gasper’s, but his defensive flexibility is a big plus. Depending on Curtis Mead’s recovery, Sogard can serve as useful insurance at second base, which should keep him ahead of Yoshida in the playoff pecking order.
At the center of all this is Craig Breslow’s decision not to move Jarren Duran before he became a radioactive asset. That missed opportunity left Boston boxed in, and it is a big reason the Red Sox can’t really afford to carry a DH-only player right now.
So even if Yoshida is healthy enough to return, the logic points in one direction: Boston should leave him off the October roster.
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