Masataka Yoshida (30), who conquered the Japanese professional baseball. Now, the world’s best players gather to challenge the major leagues.
Yoshida joined the Orix Buffaloes of the Nippon Professional Baseball with the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. He stood tall as the best player with 884 hits, 133 home runs, and a batting average of 0.327 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.960 in 762 games. The Japanese batting machine caught his attention in the major leagues, and he wore a Boston Red Sox uniform through the posting (private bidding competition) system last winter. The size of his contract is 5 years, 90 million dollars.
In fact, even at the time Yoshida was recruited, public opinion was not so good. Because there was an overpay controversy. However, his performance in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) overturned the ratings. 9 hits in 22 at-bats, 2 homers, 13 RBIs, 5 runs, a batting average of 0.409, a slugging percentage of 0.727, and an OPS of 1.258 in 7 games. He returned to Boston with a winner’s medal around his neck.
Now, he is a strong candidate to hit Boston No. 4. Ahead of the opening, MLB.com, the official homepage of Major League Baseball, predicted Boston’s starting lineup, and predicted that Yoshida would be appointed as the fourth hitter. In the big leagues, Yoshida is expected to take over Justin Turner, who has a lot of bones, to take over as the core of the offense.
He is adapting to the major league stage by hitting a home run in an exhibition game. On the 29th (Korean time), Yoshida, who played in left field 4 times against the Atlanta Braves in the ‘2023 Major League’ exhibition game held at Jet Blue Park in Fort Myers, Florida, USA, burst into a superior two-run four at the end of the first inning. Ahead of the opening ceremony, he hits a home run in the final mock test and happily steps into the big leagues.
MLB.com also introduced Yoshida as ‘a player with MVP-level batting ability’. His on-base ability is also excellent, as he has a long hitting tool.스포츠토토 The media said, ‘Yoshida has more than twice as many walks as strikeouts in his last three seasons in Japan. He praised Yoshida, saying, “If you can translate it into the major leagues, he deserves an MVP award.”
As a member of Boston, Yoshida will start the opening game against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on the 31st. He has to work on a tight schedule for 6 months. Yoshida said, “I asked my teammates, coaching staff, and trainers how to manage my condition. I will find a way that suits me,” leaving his impressions of the first season.