Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida Showing Signs Of Being ‘Locked In’ At Plate

The Red Sox looked for a more potent swing out of Masataka Yoshida, who has had no issues collecting singles this season.

And Boston’s designated hitter found his power stroke in Sunday’s series finale against the Los Angeles Angels.

Yoshida belted his first home run of the season — it was just his third extra-base hit of the young campaign — and the two-run blast in the bottom of the sixth inning ended up being the difference in Boston’s 5-4 win. It was also Yoshida’s first round tripper at Fenway Park since July 25 of last season.

“Every day I’m trying to make some minor adjustments to get the best swing out of me and trying to hit that line drive as much as I can,” Yoshida told reporters through translator Yutaro Yamaguchi.

Yoshida, who went 1-for-3 with a walk, is on a five-game hitting streak after Sunday’s performance. He also had his first multi-hit game of the season in Saturday’s win.

It appears the left-handed hitter has found his groove at the plate. Red Sox manager Alex Cora can see it, too.

“It seems like he’s been out in front. He wasn’t today,” Cora told reporters. “The first ball he hit probably in the summer has a chance to go off the wall. So, little by little. We know he can hit. We all know he can hit. Just a matter of time. When he gets locked in, it’s fun to watch.”

The Red Sox will need Yoshida to continue to step up even more now that Trevor Story is out for the season. Yoshida batted regularly in the No. 3 hole or cleanup spot last season, but has been moved to as low as seventh in the order this year.

Yoshida will need to show consistent power to be placed there again. After hitting 15 homers in his first MLB season, the Red Sox surely have to hope the 30-year-old can surpass that total in 2024. But for Yoshida, it’s more of a matter of when those homers come.

“It all comes down to hitting a home run in a meaningful situation, a high-leverage situation,” Yoshida said.