MLB Red Sox offseason news: Masao Yoshida may be traded
Due to poor defensive performance and salary burden, US media analyzed that the Red Sox may seek to trade Masanao Yoshida in the off-season.
Quick Look
- After the Red Sox lost in the playoffs, the US media "FanSided" pointed out that the team may trade Japanese player Masao Yoshida with an annual salary of US$18.6 million in the off-season.
- Considering that his fielding data OAA is -3 and his designated hitter role overlaps, the Red Sox may need to bear part of the salary to complete the deal.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Masao Yoshida will join the Red Sox in 2022 with a five-year, $90 million contract. In recent years, he has been troubled by injuries, and his defensive data OAA is -3.
Masahiro Yoshida. (File photo, Associated Press)
[Sports Center/Comprehensive Report] The Red Sox were swept by the Yankees in the American League Wild Card Series, and lost to the Stripers in the playoffs for two consecutive years, ending the season prematurely. According to an article written by Christopher Kline, a writer for the American sports website "FanSided", the Red Sox may trade the 33-year-old Japanese player Masao Yoshida in the off-season, with a salary of US$18.6 million (approximately NT$590 million) next season.
Masao Yoshida joined the Red Sox after the 2022 season for five years and US$90 million (approximately NT$2.86 billion). In his first year in the United States, he delivered 15 home runs, 72 RBIs, a batting average of 0.289, and an overall offensive index (OPS) of 0.783.
However, Masano Yoshida has been plagued by injuries in the past three years and only played 55 games last season. This year Yoshida played 87 games, had 5 home runs, 28 RBIs, a batting average of 0.274, and an OPS of 0.746.
Masao Yoshida's fielding status is not good. In his 390 career games in the major leagues, he has served as a designated hitter in 259 games. He has only guarded 7 games in left field this season. This year's defensive advanced data "Outs Above Average" (OAA) is "-3".
"FanSided" pointed out that Masao Yoshida's contract makes it difficult for the Red Sox to trade him, but he will become a free agent after the end of the 2027 season. The Red Sox may need to bear part of Yoshida's salary or attach some rookies to clear him from the salary list.
The article believes that considering that the Red Sox currently have quite a number of high-quality outfielders in the lineup, it is not ideal to waste a 26-man roster spot for Yoshida. This offseason, the Red Sox may be able to find a team willing to take him on the trade market.
Open Questions
- Is there any team willing to take on Masao Yoshida's contract?
- Are the Red Sox willing to shoulder some of the salary to facilitate a trade?
