The Boston Red Sox are heading into the 2026 season with an enviable - and complicated - problem: too many outfielders and not enough spots to go around.
Despite months of speculation and trade chatter, the Red Sox didn’t pull the trigger on any major moves to thin out their crowded outfield. That means Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu are all still in the mix, creating a logjam in the grass that’s going to be tough to untangle.
And that’s before you even factor in the possibility of Kristian Campbell moving back to the outfield full-time - something chief baseball officer Craig Breslow floated this offseason. If that happens, someone’s getting bumped to designated hitter duty.
But here’s the catch: the DH spot is already spoken for.
Masataka Yoshida, Boston’s high-priced import from Japan, was brought in to be a middle-of-the-order bat. And when he’s right, he’s exactly that.
Manager Alex Cora made it clear during a recent spring training media session, calling Yoshida “one of the best hitters on the team.” That’s not just lip service.
When healthy, Yoshida has shown he can rake - and he did just that during the Red Sox’s late-season playoff push last year, slashing .333/.351/.486 in September and putting up a scorching .571 average with a 1.143 OPS in Boston’s brief Wild Card series against the Yankees.
But the issue isn’t the bat. It’s the glove - or more specifically, the lack of a place to put it.
With Rafaela and Abreu locking down center and right field thanks to their Gold Glove-caliber defense, and with Anthony showing strong defensive instincts in his short MLB stint, Yoshida finds himself on the outside looking in. Duran, meanwhile, had a breakout year in 2024, finishing eighth in AL MVP voting and proving he belongs in the everyday lineup.
These aren’t just warm bodies filling out a depth chart - they’re legitimate starters. That makes it tough to justify giving Yoshida innings in the outfield, especially when defense is such a premium commodity in Fenway’s expansive outfield.
The numbers back up Yoshida’s offensive value. Over three injury-shortened seasons in Boston, he’s slashed .282/.337/.425 with a .762 OPS.
Solid production, especially from a DH. But that’s also part of the problem: if Yoshida is going to be a DH-only player, he needs to be in the lineup every day to justify the roster spot and the contract.
And right now, the Red Sox don’t have a clear path to make that happen without sacrificing something else - whether it’s defense, youth development, or lineup flexibility.
There’s also the looming question of roster construction. If the front office truly sees Yoshida as an everyday bat, why didn’t they move one of their surplus outfielders this winter to clear the way?
Duran, for example, likely had peak trade value after his 2024 campaign, and his skillset - speed, energy, improving bat - would’ve drawn interest across the league. But instead, Boston held onto all of them, possibly betting on depth in case of injury.
That’s a fair consideration, given Yoshida’s own injury history, but it leaves the team in a tough spot heading into Opening Day.
The Red Sox need more consistency and fewer strikeouts in their offense. Yoshida’s contact-heavy approach could help with that - but only if he’s actually in the lineup.
Right now, there’s no easy solution. Trade him?
That might be tough, unless Boston is willing to eat salary or package him in a larger deal. Keep him on the bench?
That’s a steep price for a part-time player, both financially and in terms of clubhouse dynamics.
So where does that leave Yoshida?
For now, in limbo. Spring training will give Cora and his staff a chance to experiment, but unless someone gets hurt or underperforms, Yoshida may find himself as a highly paid bat without a home. And for a guy being called one of the best hitters on the team, that’s a tough pill to swallow - for both player and club.