Red Sox Insider Urges Boston To Keep $90 Million Key Piece

What's next for the Red Sox this winter?

Sep 20, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hats and gloves at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Will the Boston Red Sox end up trading one of their best hitters this offseason?

Rumors and speculation already have started to pick up about who the Red Sox could add this winter. On the flip side, there also has been plenty of speculation about who the Red Sox could part ways with to open up space on the roster for others.

One player who has had his name pop up a lot already is designated hitter/outfielder Masataka Yoshida. He clearly is one of Boston's best hitters, but he doesn't have much defensive upside, and he dealt with some injuries in 2024. Yoshida also recently had shoulder surgery, which could impact the possibility of a trade.

While this is the case, former Red Sox infielder and current broadcaster for WEEI and NESN Lou Merloni said fans should be more open to a return of Yoshida in 2025.

"(He's) not your prototypical DH, but he's still a good hitter," Merloni said. "And there is a scenario where he may be needed. I go back to the Ken Rosenthal report talking about Triston Casas being moved. Let's say that played out...Rafael Devers moves to first and someone like (Willy Adames) or (Alex Bregman) comes to play third.

"Then you look at the outfield with (Ceddanne Rafaela) and (Jarren Duran). What if (Wilyer Abreu) gets moved? If that's the case and you were to bring in a power right-handed bat for right field or left field, then you'd create a lineup when your only two lefties are Devers and Duran. Now you're susceptible to right-handed pitchers...You'd like to have that at-bat from Yoshida."

Merloni is right. There has been a lot of chatter about the possibility of moving Casas and Abreu and it wouldn't be shocking to see at least get traded. If that were to happen, it would make a ton of sense to keep Yoshida although he is expensive.

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