Masataka Yoshida DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Sean McAdam of Masslive.com reports that Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) traveled back to Boston for consultation on the back injury he's dealing with. McAdam notes that he'll stay there for shoulder rehab until he is game-ready. The 31-year-old was never expected to be ready for the Red Sox opener, though it shouldn't be long before he rejoins the team. The lefty hit a respectable .286 this spring (10-for-35) in 11 appearances but was having issues throwing the ball while recovering from surgery to fix a torn labrum in his right shoulder last October. He was far superior against right-handed pitching in 2024.

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) will start the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester as he continues to build out his throwing program as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. Specifically, Yoshida won't play in the WooSox's opening home series but will likely join the team in Jacksonville on April 1. This had been the expectation for a while for the 31-year-old lefty hitter after he had surgery last October to fix a torn labrum in his right shoulder. He was able to make nine starts in the Grapefruit League and hit a solid .321 in 28 plate appearances, but he's not ready to throw, which is an issue now that Rafael Devers is opening the year as Boston's primary designated hitter. Even when Yoshida is return to make his 2025 debut for the BoSox, his playing time is likely to be limited as a platoon option in left field.

Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) continues to build up his throwing progression after having offseason right-shoulder surgery, but he's only throwing at 60 feet. Yoshida has appeared in Grapefruit League games at DH, but The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey thinks the likely scenario at this point is that Yoshida will start the season on the injured list with third baseman Rafael Devers (shoulders) serving as the DH. The 31-year-old Japanese outfielder has gone 4-for-16 with a double and four RBI in five spring training games. With Devers potentially serving as the regular DH for the majority of the 2025 season, it means that Yoshida would have to return to outfield work if he's to continue seeing regular at-bats. Yoshida has made plenty of contact in his two years in the big leagues, but his lack of power and dwindling playing time are an issue for his dwindling fantasy value.

Boston Red Sox designated hitter Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) is set to make his spring debut on Sunday. Yoshida is expected to serve as a designated hitter. The 31-year-old is still recovering from the surgery he underwent on his right labrum in October. Yoshida will continue to serve as a DH for the time being as he has yet to fully progress through his throwing program. Last summer, he made only one start in the outfield and logged his other starts as a DH. Across 108 contests, Yoshida held a .280/.349/.415 slash line with 21 doubles and 10 home runs. He swiped two bags. Under the hood, he generated a .258 xBA with a modest .322 xwOBA, suggesting he may face some regression when he returns to the field. During the regular season, fantasy managers should expect him to operate primarily as a DH, which could limit his playing time.

Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida (shoulder) is ready to serve as the designated hitter during spring training. The organization has been bringing him along slowly due to his lingering shoulder issues. It's good news that Yoshida is ready to start swinging the bat during games. However, Yoshida is still early in his throwing program and has only progressed to throwing from 45 feet. The expectation is that Yoshida is going to spend most of his time at DH anyway this season. The Red Sox already have three capable outfielders, so Yoshida is the odd man out right now and could see even fewer at-bats if Rafael Devers (shoulder) moves to more of a permanent DH role in 2025.