Boston Red Sox' Masataka Yoshida Still Out Saturday with Injury, Expected Back Sunday vs. Los Angeles Angels

Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida, the team's biggest offseason acquisition, will miss his fourth straight game on Saturday with a hamstring issue. Jen McCaffrey of "The Athletic" reports that he's expected back on Sunday, when he'll play designated hitter.

The Boston Red Sox snapped their four-game losing streak on Friday by beating the Los Angeles Angels, and if they want to win on Saturday, they'll have to do it without starting left fielder Masataka Yoshida.

Yoshida, the team's biggest offseason acquisition, is out for the fourth straight game with a hamstring issue. Jen McCaffrey of 'The Athletic' reports that Yoshida is expected back on Sunday.

She tweets:

"Some pre-game notes: The Red Sox are having the doctor who did Zack Kelly's 2020 arm surgery look at his current MRI. It came back clean but he still has discomfort. Yoshida is better but getting one more day just to make sure. He will DH tomorrow and LF on Monday."

Some pre game notes
-The Red Sox are having the doctor who did Zack Kelly‘s 2020 arm surgery look at his current MRI. It came back clean but he still has discomfort.
-Yoshida is better but getting one more day just to make sure. He will DH tomorrow and LF on Monday

— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) April 15, 2023

Yoshida was signed to a five-year contract in the offseason worth $90 million. He showed very well in the World Baseball Classic, helping team Japan win the title, but he has struggled to get going in the early season for the Red Sox.

He's hitting .216 at this point for the Red Sox with one home run and six RBI.

He's being replaced in the lineup on Saturday by Rob Refsnyder.

Here is the lineup for the Red Sox against the Angels:

1) Alex Verdugo, RF

2) Justin Turner, DH

3) Rob Refsnyder, LF

4) Rafael Devers, 3B

5) Enrique Hernandez, CF

6) Christian Arroyo, 2B

7) Triston Casas, 1B

8) Connor Wong, C

9) Yu Chang, SS

SP: Nick Pivetta

The Angels will line up this way. The big news for Los Angeles is the promotion of 2022 first-round pick Zach Neto.

1) Taylor Ward, LF

2) Mike Trout, CF

3) Shohei Ohtani, DH

4) Anthony Rendon, 3B

5) Hunter Renfroe, RF

6) Gio Urshela, 1B

7) Brandon Drury, 2B

8) Zach Neto, SS

9) Matt Thaiss, C

SP) Tyler Anderson 

First pitch is 4:10 p.m. ET. The Angels are 7-6 while the Red Sox are 6-8.

Follow Fastball on FanNation in social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by LIKING us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also subscribe to "The Payoff Pitch" podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.