Alex Cora Explains Masataka Yoshida’s Continued Absence From Red Sox Lineup

Masataka Yoshida being out of the Boston Red Sox starting lineup for a third straight game when they take on the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday raised eyebrows.

Given the rash of injuries that have hit the Red Sox early this season, perhaps the injury bug bit Yoshida as well. But that’s not the case.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora explained Yoshida’s absence has to do with the returns of Tyler O’Neill and Rafael Devers, who missed the last five games due to a knee injury. The Red Sox put O’Neill and Devers at the designated hitter spot in their first games back, bumping Yoshida out of his role.

“(Yoshida’s) an everyday DH, man. I don’t know what the big deal is,” Cora told reporters from Progressive Field, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “O’Neill had to DH yesterday. Raffy had to DH today. He’ll DH tomorrow. I don’t get it. It just happens that (O’Neill) came out of the IL and Raffy can’t play third today. So he’s not DH-ing. Our outfield is O’Neill, (Wilyer) Abreu and (Jarren) Duran. Yesterday and today, he was ready to play but we can’t play him. How do you see it?”

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Yoshida’s hitting is down compared to last season. The 30-year-old is slashing .250/.333/.375 with two home runs and 10 RBIs in 21 games. He showed some signs of his bat really coming to life when he went 3-for-4 with a home run in this past Saturday’s win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. But that’s the last time Yoshida saw his name penciled into the starting lineup.

The Red Sox have stayed away from using Yoshida in the outfield, too. After starting 87 games in left field in 2023, he’s played just one inning at that spot this season.

It really has become a numbers game for Cora as he juggles a roster that’s dealing with an influx of injuries. And it’s clear he didn’t care for the second guessing when it came to Yoshida being on the bench again.

“Honestly, that one bothers me because it’s very simple,” Cora said. “If you look at the lineup and where we’re at roster-wise, I cannot have two DH’s. I wish. I wish I had three. Sorry about that. That one, I don’t know the angle or what we’re trying to accomplish here. But for me, I’m very fair with you guys as far as like being honest, and letting you guys know what’s happened in the clubhouse and that one, it’s throwing me off, to be honest with you.”