It didn't take very long for Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida to gain the trust and respect of his Boston teammates.
Making the jump from Nippon Professional Baseball to Major League Baseball this past offseason, Yoshida faced plenty of cultural challenges ahead before ever suiting up in a Red Sox uniform. But those barriers, such as language and comfort, have appeared to be handled with ease considering Yoshida's production at the plate.
"It's been great getting to know him all year," Justin Turner said, as seen on Apple TV's postgame coverage. "He's a very accomplished hitter and what he's doing in his first season at the major league level -- I don't care how old you are. You come over here, you're in an entirely new country, don't speak the language, the way he's gotten comfortable fast has been spectacular and he's had some big swings for us all year."
The 30-year-old Rookie of the Year candidate delivered a huge gut punch as Boston began its critical three-game set in New York. Yoshida crushed a three-run home run in the first inning against the Yankees on Friday night, helping push the Red Sox to an 8-3 victory at Yankee Stadium.
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He finished 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs -- more than New York's lineup.
Yoshida, by technicality, is a rookie, but the numbers say otherwise.
With a calm and disciplined approach in the batter's box, Yoshida looks like a multi-year big league veteran. He's leading the Red Sox in batting average (.302), on-base percentage (.358) and total hits (125) which is backed by Boston's .261 team average, the fourth-highest among all MLB teams.
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More importantly, Boston remains in the American League wild-card hunt, sitting three games back after Friday night's win in The Bronx.
Featured image via Wendell Cruz/USA TODAY Sports Images
