Red Sox Reportedly Interested In Japanese Star To Bolster Lackluster Outfield

Boston did not get much out of their outfield in 2022

Scott Neville | Nov 8, 2022

Red Sox Reportedly Interested In Japanese Star To Bolster Lackluster Outfield /

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox may have to expand their search for outfield help internationally as the current free-agent pool is underwhelming.

Outside of former New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge, the current market for outfielders is a light one. Fortunately, there could be a prominent Japanese star entering the mix for all Major League Baseball teams to pursue.

"Masataka Yoshida, two-time batting champ in NPB, likely to be posted by Orix Buffaloes in the next two weeks," MLB.com's Jon Morosi tweeted Tuesday. "Details are still being discussed, but it’s becoming increasingly likely that Yoshida, a left fielder, will play next season in MLB."

Furthermore, Daily Sports Japan has linked the 29-year-old slugger to Boston according to Red Sox Stats.

Yoshida hit .335 with 28 doubles, a triple, 21 home runs, 88 RBIs and a 1.008 OPS in 119 games this season. Among the most enticing aspects of his game is his career .327 average across seven seasons in the NPB.

Something Boston could truly benefit from is Yoshida's eye. The left-handed hitter had a 41-to-80 strikeout-to-walk ratio last season, which is nearly unheard of in today's game.

The Red Sox have an outfield group that features Alex Verdugo, Kiké Hernandez (on a one-year deal), Rob Refsnyder and Jarren Duran on their current 40-man roster. While the first two are solid everyday players, it's not exactly a group that strikes fear in opposing pitchers.

That foursome combined for just 26 home runs a year ago.

While the outfield is not as concerning as the current hole at shortstop and the desperate need for improved pitching, the team could really benefit from an improvement, with an emphasis on power. Yoshida would be a strong fit given his 21 home runs in each of the last two seasons.

It's not uncommon for Japanese sluggers like Yoshida to struggle in their transition overseas, but the current outfield group on the roster combined with the uninspiring MLB free-agent options could force Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom and company to get a little creative.

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Published Nov 8, 2022

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu