Few players hit the trails with consistency, don’t get out often on strikes, and hit hard. Reading these lines, you have Kyle Schwarber in mind and you are right.
The one who made a huge difference to the Phillies’ success in the last postseason series is a unique player prototype that many teams would like to replicate.
By signing Japanese star Masataka Yoshida, the Boston Red Sox saw in him all the attributes of a Schwarber. Having lost a few big names in the free agency market, the Sox are hoping the Nippon athlete will make a difference this season.
To think that Yoshida will overshadow the departures of Xander Bogaerts and JD Martinez, both returned under the hot California sun, is putting a lot of pressure on one man’s shoulders. To hope that the newcomer can make a name for himself quickly in his own way is legitimate.
With a pact of 90 million dollars in his pocket, the Japanese outfielder will not have the luxury of time to make a place for himself in the hearts of supporters who have suffered more often than not in recent years.
Masataka Yoshida is 29 years old and has worn the Osaka Orix Buffaloes uniform for the past seven seasons. In Japan, Yoshida was considered a patient and powerful player. The Red Sox leaders now want him to show the same qualities, but in North America this time.
For Red Sox fans, it’s easy to draw parallels between Yoshida and Schwarber, considering the latter played briefly in Boston during the 2021 season. The veteran batted for a .291 batting average in 41 games. in the Boston uniform.
Despite impressive statistics to his credit in Osaka (average of .327 and 133 home runs), Yoshida will have to prove that he belongs in major league baseball. Several pundits raised eyebrows to see the Red Sox deploy so much effort and dollars to bring him to Boston. Now it’s up to him to make his mark in the shadow of the green monster.
At 5ft 8in, he doesn’t represent the archetype of players currently playing in the Majors. These are more sturdy and impose by their physique. Yoshida uses a lot of his lower body and efficient weight transfer in order to hit the ball with power.
The Japanese is expected to patrol left field this season.
