The Red Sox made a surprise announcement Wednesday.
Boston revealed Masataka Yoshida underwent a successful right shoulder labral repair Oct. 3, four days after the club’s season finale. Yoshida battled injuries over the course of the 2024 season, but a damaged shoulder wasn’t a publicly known issue for the 31-year-old.
The Red Sox didn’t share any other details about Yoshida’s situation in the press release, but MLB.com reporter Ian Browne issued a follow-up report indicating manager Alex Cora and company are aiming for the designated hitter to be ready for 2025 Opening Day. Boston’s season opener is set for March 27 against the Rangers in Texas.
After a mostly solid first season with Boston, Yoshida experienced a bit of a dip in production as an MLB sophomore. He hit .280 with 10 home runs and 56 RBIs over 108 games, all in the DH slot. Cora seemingly didn’t consider Yoshida as an outfield option at any point in the season, but it’s unknown if that was due to the shoulder problem.
Yoshida, who joined the Red Sox in free agency after a very successful professional tenure in Japan, has three seasons left on his Boston contract.
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Featured image via Wendell Cruz/Imagn Images
