The mystery of Masataka Yoshida's role on the Red Sox

Will Masataka Yoshida begin the regular season on the IL despite having impressive spring training? It doesn’t make sense, but that’s what the Red Sox might be planning to do.  Although Rafael Devers is the team's best player, Alex Cora's desire for him to DH more frequently this season puts Yoshida and Devers in a difficult situation. Cora cannot have two full-time designated hitters. This leaves Yoshida in a spot where he has to play outfield.

When asked about his readiness, Yoshida responded vaguely, saying, "I don't know the exact date, but I don't think I'm that far from that."

Devers prefers playing in the outfield, but at this point in his career, he may see more time as DH. Yoshida’s resurgence in spring training is something the Red Sox cannot ignore. He’s a healthy hitter, but not a healthy outfielder. How should one approach that situation? They need his hitting; he could potentially hit .300 in a year, but they can't put him out to play because his shoulder isn't fully healed. Alex Cora is unsure how to handle the situation, but Devers is his obvious choice for DH since he will be the team's primary designated hitter.

Yoshida never had a powerful throwing arm for an outfielder, but his arm had been stifled with injury, especially last year, in which he only played one inning in the outfield. The injury even hindered his ability to play the position further. According to Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager, Yoshida is up to 100 feet, meaning the player can throw at least 100 feet with his arm; however, the speed of the throw is vague. The throw's velocity can make the difference between an out and a safe call. It’s that important. Although not having a great fast throw doesn’t necessarily mean being a bad defensive player, having one greatly increases coaches’ confidence in you. Without having a powerful throwing arm, Yoshida needs to be creative and rely on his infield teammates to carry much of the load. It doesn’t mean, however, that it can work out for his benefit. It all depends on how his infield teammates anticipate his actions. This requires lots of practice and may or may not benefit the Japanese outfielder.

There seems to be an indication that Yoshida could get traded in the middle of the season to a team that needs a DH more than the Red Sox. Of course, it’s all speculation, but this could be a possibility. The DH, however, could be occupied by any player in the roster. There’s no rule that they can’t, leaving solely designated hitters at a disadvantage against versatile players who can play multiple positions.

Whether he plays DH or outfielder, Yoshida is determined to prepare himself for whatever role he takes.