Red Sox fans got their first glimpse of Masataka Yoshida at this year’s World Baseball Classic, which sparked emerging hype for the Japanese star.
Prior to Boston’s game against the Cardinals on Friday, Yoshida reunited with Team Japan teammate Lars Nootbaar. The St. Louis outfielder’s mother is Japanese, and he received an invite to represent her home country at the WBC. He was the first player not born in Japan to play for the team in the World Baseball Classic.
He and Yoshida played key roles in Japan’s WBC title win over Team USA, and Nootbaar spoke with NESN prior to Saturday’s Red Sox-Cardinals game as part of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
“He was awesome,” Nootbaar told NESN’s Jahmai Webster, per the network’s pregame coverage. “He’s a quiet guy, but it was nice being teammates with because he was able to open up a little bit. We were kind of able to become friends. And I was able to learn a thing or two hitting wise because he’s shown it now, but he’s an impressive hitter. Being teammates with him was a pleasure.”
Yoshida has started to find his groove in Major League Baseball and has become not only a fan favorite but also a favorite to the betting public. The Red Sox left fielder also earned praise from Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper, who is Yoshida’s favorite MLB player, and it would not be a surprise if the 29-year-old continued to impress throughout the season.
