Red Sox’s Alex Cora Explains ‘Back Home’ Joke With Masataka Yoshida

Red Sox manager Alex Cora joked around with rookie outfielder Masataka Yoshida ahead of Boston’s 5-0 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday at the Rogers Centre.

Yoshida ended up going 3-for-4 with a home run.

“We were joking with him. Kind of indoors, turf. He’s back home,” Cora told reporters with a smile on his face, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. “He knows the environment.”

Rogers Centre reminded Yoshida of his home ballpark in Japan with the Orix Buffaloes.

“I feel it’s similar to the Kyocera Dome, which is my home stadium when I was in Japan,” Yoshida told reporters through interpreter Keiichiro Wakabayashi, per Smith

The 29-year-old spent 2016-22 playing at the Kyocera Dome with the Buffaloes before entering Major League Baseball and joining the Red Sox.

Yoshida noted that the Blue Jays were interested in him during free agency before he signed his 5-year, $90 million deal with Boston.

“I heard Toronto was interested in me,” Yoshida said via his translator. “So I was considering to sign (with) Toronto but it (did) not happen so I was interested, a little bit.”

Yoshida has been a great addition to the Red Sox, batting .301 with nine home runs ahead of Saturday’s matchup with Toronto. First pitch for the game is scheduled at 3:07 p.m. ET.