Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida On Fire As Rookie Bobblehead's Released

The Japanese slugger is heating up right on time

Scott Neville | May 4, 2023

Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida On Fire As Rookie Bobblehead's Released /

In this story:

Boston Red Sox

After a brutal start to the season, the Boston Red Sox have received an enormous boost from newly-acquired outfielder Masataka Yoshida.

The 29-year-old slugger was hitting a measly .167 with a .560 OPS on April 13. Yoshida proceeded to have eight multi-hit games over a 13 game-span which rocketed his season totals.

Now, Yoshida is batting .303 with 11 extra-base hits including five home runs, 21 RBIs and a .906 OPS across 26 games.

It did not take time for the Japanese star to adjust to Major League Baseball despite all of the unnecessary controversy over the total value of his contract.

With Yoshida locked into a five-year deal in Boston, he's toward the top of the list of players fans can buy apparel, merch and gear for. Alex Verdugo has been a rising star this season, but he's only under team control through next season.

If it's time to add to your collection -- whether it's a jersey, bobblehead or another form of fan support -- Yoshida and Rafael Devers are the two locked in long term.

Fortunately, FOCO just released a limited edition "Star Rookie Showcase" collection that included Yoshida alongside St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker, Houston Astros' Hunter Brown, Kansas City Royals' Drew Waters and Minnesota Twins' Matt Wallner.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida bobblehead — FOCO

The collection will be limited to 96 bobbleheads per player and will come off the shelves fast.

If anyone is deserving of being added to your collection, it's Yoshida.

More MLB: Red Sox's Chaim Bloom Fleeced Multiple Teams At Last Season's Trade Deadline

Published May 4, 2023

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