On the final day of the regular season, Boston Red Sox outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida revealed that he had been playing through discomfort in his right shoulder.
“When I had swing and misses I felt it a little bit, but I felt like I could keep swinging and playing so that’s why I kept playing,” Yoshida said via translator Yutaro Yamaguchi.
According to Ian Browne of MLB.com, Yoshida underwent an MRI on October 1 and had labral repair surgery on his shoulder two days later. The club did not provide an expected recovery timeline but targeted an Opening Day return. Yoshida, 31, signed a five-year, $90 million contract before the 2023 season. He spent nearly six weeks on the injured list this season with a left thumb strain and hit .280/.340/.415 with 10 home runs and 56 RBI in 108 games.
Masataka Yoshida Undergoes Surgery on Right Shoulder
The Red Sox described Yoshida’s labral repair surgery as “successful,” with the typical recovery period for position players ranging from four to six months. For context, Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain underwent similar surgery in March, initially targeting an August return before experiencing a setback. San Diego Padres shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, who recently had the same procedure, aims to return between late April and early May. Notably, Yoshida’s injury is in his throwing shoulder, but his recovery timeline could be shorter as a left-handed batter with significant designated hitter duties. If his progress mirrors McLain’s original projection, Yoshida may be ready for spring training games in March.
If that’s the case, then it might benefit Yoshida who has performed better against right-handers than left-handers since coming over from Japan, batting .300 with an .816 OPS against righties and .239 with a .669 OPS against southpaws. In two seasons in Boston, Yoshida is batting .285 with 261 hits, 116 runs, 25 home runs and 128 RBI in 248 games.
Main Photo: © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
