Masataka Yoshida Injury News & Updates

Yoshida is not in the lineup for Friday's contest in Baltimore.

Yoshida had started each of the last right games for the Red Sox, but this is the third time in a row he won't be in the lineup against a left-hander. Rob Refsnyder will patrol left field and Justin Turner will be the team's designated hitter.

Yoshida went 1-for-4 with two RBI in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to Texas.

Yoshida had gone nine straight games without an RBI before his two-run single in the third inning. The outfielder appears to be tiring under the grind of the MLB season. Yoshida is batting .196 (10-for-51) over 14 games in September and has a .640 OPS since the All-Star break.

Yoshida is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.

Yoshida has not opened a game against a left-handed starter since Aug. 17, and with Boston facing a southpaw for the second time is as many games, Yoshida will work as a reserve for a second straight day.

Yoshida is out of the lineup Sunday versus the Blue Jays.

Rob Refsnyder will patrol left field and Justin Turner will serve as Boston's designated hitter in Sunday's series finale at Toronto. Yoshida went 1-for-8 with four strikeouts in the first two games of the three-game weekend set.

Yoshida is not in the lineup for the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Wilyer Abreu will be in left field for the afternoon contest. Expect Yoshida back in the lineup for the second game of the double dip.

Yoshida is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Yankees.

Yoshida heads to the bench after going 0-for-4 with a walk in the day game. Rob Refsnyder is getting the start in left field with lefty Carlos Rodon starting for New York.

Yoshida is not in the lineup Sunday against the Orioles.

Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Alex Verdugo will start across the outfield as Justin Turner serves as Boston's designated hitter. This looks to be a routine day of rest for Yoshida, who went 3-for-6 with three singles and two runs scored in Saturday's loss to Baltimore.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run in Sunday's 7-3 victory over the Royals.

Yoshida plated Justin Turner and Tristan Casas on a three-run shot in the fourth inning off Zack Greinke for the outfielder's 14th long ball of 2023. The outing broke Yoshida out of a mini-slump, entering Sunday's game 1-for-9 across his last three games. Through 120 appearances, Yoshida is slashing .296/.350/.462 and is striking out at a 12.3 percent clip.

Yoshida is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Though the lefty-hitting Yoshida will be on the bench for the second straight game while the Dodgers open the game with left-hander Caleb Ferguson on the mound, the rookie outfielder could be an early appearance off the bench. Right-hander Gavin Stone is expected to take over once Ferguson exits the contest, at which point Yoshida could be called upon to replace Justin Turner at designated hitter or Adam Duvall in left field.

Yoshida will not start Saturday's game against the Dodgers, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Yoshida has had a near-everyday role for most of the season, but his off day here against Julio Urias means he's now sat against two of the last three southpaws the Red Sox have faced. Yoshida hasn't shown any splits whatsoever in his first MLB season, posting an identical 115 wRC+ against both lefties and righties, but given that he's slumped to a .206/.219/.284 line over his last 26 games, it makes sense that Boston would want to give him a few more days off, with those off days likely to come against same-sided pitching. Rob Refsnyder starts in left field.

Yoshida is absent from the lineup Wednesday at Houston.

Justin Turner will occupy the DH role for the visiting Red Sox and Wilyer Abreu will start in left field. This would appear to be a scheduled day off for Yoshida, who went 1-for-5 with a single in Tuesday's loss to the Astros. He boasts a .295/.349/.459 batting line with 13 home runs, 61 RBI, eight stolen bases and 61 runs scored through his first 111 major-league games.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and four RBI in Friday's 8-3 win over the Yankees.

Yoshida put an exclamation point on the Red Sox' four-run first inning, finding the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium when he ripped a three-run blast off of Jhony Brito. He plated another run in the second with an RBI single. Yoshida was on the bench for back-to-back games earlier this week as he battles through a slump in August, but he's now tallied two straight multi-hit efforts and his four RBI in this one more than doubled his total for the month.

Yoshida went 0-for-2 in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to Washington.

Yoshida entered the game as a pinch hitter and finished in left field. He'd been held out of the starting lineup the first two games of the series. Including Monday's off day, that would have been three full days off for the outfielder. As manager Alex Cora explained to MLB.com, Yoshida is adapting to a more rigorous travel schedule than he was accustomed to in Japan. ""He's doing well. Like I said, we have to take care of him," said Cora. "There's nothing going on. We're just staying away from him for now." Yoshida is expected to start the series finale Thursday.

Yoshida remains out of the lineup Wednesday versus the Nationals.

Rob Refsnyder, Adam Duvall and Alex Verdugo will start across the outfield as the Red Sox take on left-hander MacKenzie Gore. Justin Turner is filling the DH role. Yoshida, who also sat Tuesday with a right-hander on the mound for Washington, has slashed just .252/.278/.398 in 108 plate appearances since the All-Star break.

Yoshida is absent from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Nationals, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

The Nats are starting right-hander Josiah Gray, but the left-handed hitting Yoshida nonetheless will find himself on the bench to begin the game. Jarren Duran will be in left field.

Yoshida is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Royals.

The Royals are starting left-hander Austin Cox in what will be a bullpen game. Yoshida could enter the game once Kansas City puts a righty in there, but he'll begin the festivities on the bench.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-4 win over Seattle.

Yoshida's fourth-inning double put an end to an 0-for-19 stretch. He was given a day to rest Saturday after an 0-for-8 run, but Yoshida went hitless Sunday, Monday and his first at-bat Tuesday before snapping out of the funk. Despite the recent downturn, the outfielder maintains a respectable .306/.367/.484 line through 94 games (403 plate appearances).

Yoshida did not start in Saturday's 3-2 loss to San Francisco. He walked as a pinch hitter and scored a run in the ninth inning.

Yoshida was hitless over his last eight at-bats, including four groundouts to the right side of the infield in Friday's win. According to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com, the Red Sox have learned when Yoshida hits a lot of groundballs to the right side, it's a sign he could use some rest. "I talked to him (Saturday) and he feels OK," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "But we're giving him today, let's see how it plays out, maybe (Sunday) too, you never know, and just get him ready for the week." Prior to the dry spell, Yoshida raked since the All-Star break with a slash line of .349/.378/.605.

Yoshida went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and was hit by a pitch in Tuesday's 7-1 win over Atlanta.

Yoshida shined at the plate with his fifth multi-hit effort over 10 games since the All-Star break. The outfielder is slashing .349/.378/.605 with two doubles, one triple, two home runs and nine RBI over that span. Earlier in the game, he was part of an ignominious team achievement. Atlanta turned an 8-3-5 triple play, the first time that's happened since 1884.

Yoshida went 1-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Mondays 7-0 win over the Athletics.

Yoshida swiped his seventh bag of the season during the sixth inning and eventually scored on a Connor Wong double. The rookie went a stretch of 33 games without attempting a steal, but has picked up the pace of late. Monday's swipe was his fourth in the last 11 games.

Yoshida went 3-for-5 with a home run, a triple, six RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's 11-5 win over the Cubs.

Yoshida earned his second six-RBI game of the season with the big performance. He saw a streak of eight straight multi-hit efforts snapped with an 0-for-4 game Saturday, but he remains one of the hottest hitters in Boston's lineup. The outfielder owns an impressive .317/.381/.502 slash line with 11 homers, 50 RBI, 50 runs scored, six stolen bases, 19 doubles and three triples through 81 contests this season.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, an additional run scored and one steal in Sunday's victory over the Athletics.

Yoshida turned in his seventh consecutive multi-hit performance Sunday and came up clutch with a solo home run in the top of the ninth that gave the Red Sox the lead and eventual win. Yoshida also showcased his speed, swiping his sixth bag of the year and his second in his last two games. Yoshida will enter the All-Star break as one of MLB's hottest hitters, batting 15-for-29 (.515) with two homers, seven runs, five RBI and three steals across his last seven appearances.

Yoshida went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base in Saturday's 10-3 win over the Athletics.

Yoshida is sizzling right now with multiple hits in six consecutive games. The outfielder is 13-for-25 with two doubles, one home run, four RBI, five runs scored and two steals during that stretch.

Yoshida is not in the lineup for Friday's game versus the Athletics, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

He will take a seat while Jarren Duran handles left field and Adam Duvall plays center. Yoshida has tallied five straight multi-hit games.

Yoshida (leg) is back in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rangers, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Yoshida missed one game with a sore leg as a result of a hit by pitch, but he's ready to go following the off day Monday. He will play left field and bat third versus Dane Dunning.

Yoshida is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Blue Jays, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

The 29-year-old exited Saturday's contest after being struck in the leg by a 102-mph fastball, and he'll be held out of the starting nine for at least one game. X-rays came back negative, per Smith, and Yoshida will also have Monday's team off day to recover ahead of Tuesday's series opener versus Texas. Rob Refsnyder will man left field Sunday for the Red Sox.

Yoshida was removed from Saturday's game against Toronto after getting hit in the leg by a pitch, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

After taking a 102-mph fastball to the shin, Yoshida was officially diagnosed with a right leg contusion. An IL stint is unlikely, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him held out of Boston's lineup for a game or two.

Yoshida went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and stolen base in Friday's 5-0 win over Toronto.

Yoshida belted one of three home runs for Boston, which halted a five-game losing streak. And Yoshida halted a personal streak with a first-inning single that stopped an 0-for-11 skid. The stolen base was his fourth of the season and first in 34 games.

Yoshida (forearm) will be the designated hitter and bat sixth in his return to the lineup Thursday against the Marlins, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Yoshida missed two contests with lingering soreness in his forearm as a result of a hit by pitch, but he's feeling well enough to play Thursday, at least in a DH role. Rob Refsnyder is in left field.

Yoshida (forearm) is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Marlins.

Yoshida will miss a second consecutive game while dealing with soreness in his forearm after being hit by a pitch over the weekend. The left-handed hitting outfielder will sit with Rob Refsnyder getting a start in left field against southpaw Braxton Garrett and the Marlins.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Yoshida is sitting Tuesday versus the Marlins due to general soreness, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

It's not a serious concern and Yoshida is expected to be available off the bench if needed. Jarren Duran, Adam Duvall and Alex Verdugo are starting in the outfield for the Red Sox and Justin Turner is serving as the designated hitter.

Yoshida is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Marlins.

Jarren Duran, Adam Duvall and Alex Verdugo will start across the outfield for the Red Sox with Justin Turner filling the DH role. This looks to be a planned day of rest for Yoshida, who has produced a strong .299/.372/.466 batting line through his first 69 major-league games.

Yoshida went 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and two additional runs scored in Tuesday's 10-4 win over the Twins.

Yoshida snapped a 16-game drought without a home run when he hit his eighth of the season in the eighth inning to cap Boston's scoring. He's slowed down during June overall, but Yoshida's hit safely in three of the last four games, going 8-for-18 with four extra-base hits, six RBI and five runs scored.

Yoshida isn't starting the second game of Sunday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Yoshida went 1-for-4 with a run during Sunday's matinee, and he'll rest in the second game of the twin bill. Rob Refsnyder will start in left field and bat fifth.

Yoshida went 4-for-4 with two doubles, three RBI and one run scored in Friday's victory over the Yankees.

Yoshida had been scuffling of late and wasn't getting starts versus left-handed pitchers, but he broke out of his slump in a big way Friday. It was the rookie's first four-hit game of his career and just the third time he's recorded multiple extra-base hits. Yoshida has appeared in 61 of the team's first 70 games, so he's nearly an everyday player and is slashing .309/.383/.479 with seven home run, 36 RBI, three stolen bases and 35 runs scored.

Yoshida is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports.

For the second time in the series, the lefty-hitting Yoshida will retreat to the bench against a left-handed pitcher with the Rockies bringing southpaw Austin Gomber to the hill. Rob Refsnyder will spell Yoshida in left field and serve as Boston's leadoff man Wednesday.

Yoshida is absent from the lineup for Monday's game against the Rockies.

Yoshida is in a mini funk at the plate, going just 2-for-20 over his last five contests. He'll begin this one on the bench as Jarren Duran plays left field and bats leadoff.

Yoshida is playing left field and hitting second against the Guardians on Wednesday, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

Yoshida has mostly hit in the middle of the order for the Red Sox, but after his third multi-hit game of the month against Cleveland on Tuesday, the rookie outfielder will hit behind Alex Verdugo versus Tanner Bibbee and the Guardians. Rafael Devers will hit cleanup with Justin Turner lined up in the third spot.

Yoshida went 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Guardians.

The MLB rookie kicked off Boston's comeback victory in the sixth inning, ripping a leadoff double and scoring on an Enrique Hernandez single. Yoshida continues to impress during his first season in North America, and with seven multi-hit performances in his last 10 games he's boosted his batting average to .319 -- second in the American League behind Bo Bichette's .332.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double and an additional run in a loss to the Reds on Wednesday.

Yoshida put the Red Sox on the board with a solo shot to right field in the second inning and came around to score following a double in the eighth. The outfielder tallied his fourth straight multi-hit game, during which he's batting a scorching .643 (9-for-14). The long ball was his first since May 4, but Yoshida has been very impressive offensively in his first MLB campaign, slashing .317/.391/.508 while walking nearly as many times (20) as he's struck out (21).

Yoshida went 1-for-5 with a double and a stolen base in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Padres.

Yoshida also reached on a fielder's choice, which led to his stolen base in the fourth inning. The outfielder hasn't shown overwhelming speed so far, racking up three steals in his first 38 major-league games. He's hit safely in six of his last seven contests and is now batting .295 with an .863 OPS, six home runs, 28 RBI, 26 runs scored, nine doubles and one triple this season.

Yoshida went 2-for-5 with a double, a triple, two runs scored and three RBI in Tuesday's 9-4 win over the Mariners.

Boston's bats were booming in this one as all six hits they collected against Luis Castillo went for extra bases, and Yoshida was right in the thick of the offensive eruption. The 29-year-old MLB rookie has found his groove at the plate, and over his last 97 plate appearances he's slashing a dazzling .375/.423/.648 with seven doubles, a triple, five homers, 17 runs and 21 RBI.

Yoshida is absent from the lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports.

Yoshida's last week at the plate was a rough one, as he managed just three hits in 19 at-bats. He'll get a day off to regroup. Raimel Tapia will handle left field.

Yoshida will sit Saturday against the Phillies, Christopher Smith of The Springfield Republican reports.

Yoshida hits the bench against lefty Bailey Falter, but give that he started against each of the previous four lefties the Red Sox faced, he's seemingly not at risk of being platooned. He's riding a 15-game hitting streak which has dragged his season slash line up to .315/.400/.537, so Boston will want him in the lineup as often as possible going forward.

Yoshida made a slight adjustment to his batting stance, which he credits for a current hot stretch, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. The Red Sox outfielder has hit in 14 consecutive games, going 25-for-56 with 13 runs, five doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI during the run.

With consultation from the coaching staff, Yoshida opened his stance, which allowed him to see the ball better. "I can pick out the balls that I should swing at, so I think that's why I'm doing well," Yoshida said. He stressed the only thing that has changed is the stance; Yoshida's swing remains the same. Yoshida, who batted .167/.310/.250 over his first 48 at-bats against MLB pitching, is up to .317/.400/.548 for the season.

Yoshida went 3-for-5 with a home run, three RBI and three runs scored in Thursday's 11-5 win over the Blue Jays.

Yoshida started the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning. He added RBI singles in the second and fourth frames. He's hit safely in 14 straight games, going 25-for-56 (.446) over that span. It took the outfielder a couple of weeks to adjust to MLB, but he's now up to a .317/.400/.548 slash line with six homers, 24 RBI, 21 runs scored and two stolen bases through 120 plate appearances.

Yoshida went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and two RBI in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Blue Jays.

Yoshida's fourth-inning home run -- his fifth of the season -- extended his hit streak to 12 games, during which he's 20-for-46 (.435) with four eight extra-base hits, 13 RBI and nine runs scored. The outfielder was batting just .167 and coming off a hamstring injury, when he started the streak.

Yoshida has moved up to the second spot in the Red Sox' batting order for Friday's game against the Guardians, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

Yoshida has been Boston's regular cleanup hitter this season, but he and Rafael Devers will flip spots in the batting order for Friday's festivities. The move makes sense, as Yoshida is showing much better on-base skills thus far and Devers is displaying more power.

Yoshida went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 6-2 loss against the Orioles.

Yoshida launched a home run off Tyler Wells to lead off the second inning, tying the game 1-1. Yoshida has now recorded a hit in seven straight contests, going 13-for-28 with three homers and 10 RBI in that span. The 29-year-old Yoshida has gotten off to quite a start in his first MLB season, slashing .276/.371/.461 with four home runs, 16 RBI, 13 runs scored and two stolen bases through 89 plate appearances.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Tuesday's 8-6 win over the Orioles.

Yoshida busted out a six-game hit streak following an 0-for-18 slide. With multiple hits in five of those six games, Yoshida is 12-for-24 with a double, two home runs and nine RBI. He remains firmly in the middle of the order for an offense that ranks fourth in MLB with 5.76 runs per game.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with two homers and six RBI in Sunday's 12-5 win over the Brewers.

The Red Sox entered the eighth inning down 4-3 and finished up 12-5, largely in part due to the bat of Yoshida. He opened up the frame by going back-to-back with Justin Turner to give the Sox a 5-4 lead. He came back to the plate again and blew the game open with a grand slam to right field to extend the lead to 12-4. It was a breakout day for the rookie, and he rewarded fantasy managers who stayed patient with him with an unforgettable performance. Yoshida is now riding a four-game hit streak, and his lifted his slash line to .231/.329/.400 with three homers, 15 RBI, 11 runs and an 8:9 BB:K over 76 plate appearances. The 29-year-old also made mention that he's been working on his hitting mechanics and found a better one that works and is more comfortable for him. It certainly was on display Sunday and will hopefully continue to pay dividends moving forward.

Yoshida went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored in Thursday's 11-5 win over Minnesota.

Yoshida's third-inning single knocked in a run and snapped an 0-for-18 slide. He later singled in Boston's final run in the eighth. Yoshida has mostly batted fifth, but there isn't much in his .189/.317.264 slash line that indicates a middle-of-the-order bat. The best that can be said about his start is an exceptional 7.9 K% (five strikeouts in 63 plate appearances).

Yoshida isn't starting Wednesday's game versus the Twins, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

An 0-for-14 stretch since April 11 has lowered Yoshida's average to a meager .167 - the rookie's pull-heavy approach has resulted in a ton of weak contact on the ground. Maybe a day off will help Yoshida reset and find his swing again.

Yoshida went 0-for-2 and was hit by a pitch as Boston's designated hitter in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Angels.

Yoshida returned to the lineup after missing four games due to a hamstring injury. He had been available off the bench Friday and Saturday, but the Red Sox did not require him to take the field.

Yoshida (hamstring) is hitting sixth as the designated hitter for Sunday's game against the Angels, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

As Red Sox manager Alex Cora predicted, Yoshida is able to return from his hamstring tightness for Sunday's series finale. The outfielder won't handle outfield duties, but he should be ready to return to that role in the coming days. Justin Turner will play first base with Yoshida in the DH position.

Yoshida (hamstring) remains out of the lineup Saturday against the Angels.

Rob Refsnyder will cover left field and bat third versus the Angels and left-hander Tyler Anderson. Justin Turner is the designated hitter. Yoshida will aim to return Sunday from the right hamstring tightness that has now cost him four straight games.

Manager Alex Cora wouldn't say for certain that Yoshida (hamstring) will play Saturday against the Angels, but he said the outfielder will definitely be back by Sunday, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports.

It was reported earlier in the day that Yoshida would return Saturday, and that could still be in play, but it sounds like Cora doesn't want to fully commit to the Saturday return until he sees how Yoshida's hamstring is responding. Yoshida has only missed a couple games with the injury, making way for Rob Refsnyder in the short term.

Yoshida (hamstring) will be back in the Red Sox' lineup Saturday, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.

Yoshida is missing a third straight start Friday due to right hamstring tightness, but the Red Sox seem to just be exercising caution in giving him one more day of rest. The outfielder is sitting on a .680 OPS with one homer and two steals through 10 games.

Yoshida (hamstring) remains out of the Red Sox' lineup for Friday's game versus the Angels.

The team had expressed hope Yoshida would be ready to go Friday at the beginning of a homestand, but they've opted to give him at least one more day. Yoshida hasn't played since Tuesday because of a tight right hamstring. Rob Refsnyder is getting another start in left field.

Yoshida (hamstring) remains out of the Red Sox' lineup Thursday in Tampa Bay.

It's the second straight game he'll miss with right hamstring tightness. The expectation is that Yoshida will be ready to go Friday when the Red Sox return home to host the Angels. Rob Refsnyder is in left field Thursday.

Yoshida (hamstring) is expected back in the Red Sox' lineup Friday, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports.

Yoshida was a late scratch from Wednesday's lineup with a sore right hamstring and manager Alex Cora doesn't expect him to play in the series finale versus the Rays on Thursday, either. However, it sounds like Yoshida should be back out there when Boston returns home this weekend to take on the Angels.

Yoshida has been scratched from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays with right hamstring soreness, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports.

The injury is not believed to be serious, but the Red Sox won't have Yoshida play through the tightness in the early part of April. Raimel Tapia will now play left field for Boston on Wednesday with Enrique Hernandez moving over to center and Bobby Dalbec handling shortstop duties.

Yoshida is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

The 29-year-old rookie will get his first day off of the season after getting off to a strong start through his first week and a half in the big leagues. Rob Refsnyder will get a turn in left field in place of Yoshida, who is slashing .233/.378/.367 with a home run, two stolen bases, eight runs and six RBI through eight games.

Yoshida went 1-for-4 with a walk and a two-run home run in Monday's 7-6 loss to Pittsburgh.

Yoshida hit his first home run in a Boston uniform, going over the wall in left field, and tied the game in the bottom half of the first inning. He's hit safely in three of the first four games, going 5-for-17 with five runs and five RBI. What has been learned so far is that Boston has a powerful lineup, which make middle-of-the-order bats like Yoshida promising fantasy contributors.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with two RBI, three runs scored, a steal and a walk in Sunday's win over the Orioles.

Yoshida has started his MLB career with multiple hits in two of his first three games, going 4-for-13 with five runs scored. He drove in a run during the first and fifth innings Sunday and chipped in his first career steal. Yoshida hit cleanup in each of Boston's first three games.

Yoshida went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored Thursday against the Orioles.

After dominating at the plate in both spring training and the World Baseball Classic, Yoshida was able to continue his hot streak at the plate Thursday. He's certain to get a lot of playing time in the Red Sox's outfield this season, but it is hard to judge how valuable he will become to fantasy owners beyond his ability to hit for average.

Yoshida started in left field and went 0-for-2 with a walk in Friday's spring game against Atlanta.

Yoshida returned to Boston after starring in the World Baseball Classic for Japan. The outfielder went 9-for-22 with two home runs and a WBC-leading 13 RBI. On Friday, he slotted in at cleanup, where he's expected to hit when the regular season kicks off next week.

Masataka Yoshida homered and scored the winning run Monday in a 6-5 victory for Team Japan over Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic semifinals.

With Japan down 3-0, Yoshida blistered a homer to right that tied the game. After drawing a walk in the ninth, he came around to score the winning run on a Munetaka Murakami double that also scored Shohei Ohtani to give Japan the victory. Yoshida is expected to hit cleanup for the Red Sox in his rookie year but first will square off against Team USA in the World Baseball Classic finale.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters that he expects Yoshida to hit cleanup to open the 2023 season, Mike Monaco of ESPN reports.

Cora believes that the Red Sox lineup will feature Rafael Devers hitting second, Justin Turner third, and Yoshida in the cleanup spot. The outfielder was signed to a five-year, $90 million contract out of Japan in December, and Boston will give him a prime opportunity to hit square in the middle of the lineup. With those two names ahead of him -- particularly Devers -- Yoshida should see plenty of RBI chances in 2023 if he can remain in that fourth spot in the lineup.

Yoshida hit his first home run of the World Baseball Classic in Thursday's 9-3 win over Italy.

Yoshida also knocked in the go-ahead run on an RBI grounder and leads the WBC with 10 RBI. Overall, the biggest offseason addition to Boston's outfield is batting .400 (6-for-15) with a 1.189 OPS. When he returns from the competition, Yoshida is expected to the Red Sox's starting left fielder and likely to a middle-of-the-order bat.

Manager Alex Cora indicated Sunday that Yoshida won't bat leadoff and is more likely to hit in the middle of the order, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.

Yoshida signed a five-year, $90 million contract Boston in early December and was presumed to be the leadoff option against right-handed starting pitchers, but the club apparently has different plans. Batting out of the middle of the lineup should still provide plenty of fantasy value for the 29-year-old, who had a .335/.449/.559 slash line with 21 home runs in 121 games in Japan last year.

Yoshida will be in the lineup for Friday's exhibition game against Northeastern University, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.

Yoshida will be one of several regulars to take part in the Red Sox's traditional kickoff to spring action against the Huskies. Several members of the team will be leaving soon for the World Baseball Classic, so manager Alex Cora wants to give them at-bats before leaving camp. Of note, Yoshida will bat cleanup Friday, but he is expected to serve as Boston's leadoff hitter during the regular season.

Yoshida is likely to bat leadoff for the Red Sox, manager Alex Cora indicated to Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican Tuesday.

Cora noted that he planned to split up the left-handed hitting Yoshida and Rafael Devers in the batting order, which could put Devers in the three spot. The on-base skills Yoshida showed in Japan seemed to make him an ideal fit for the top of Boston's lineup and it appears his manager agrees. It remains to be seen who might hit second in between the two lefties, but Enrique Hernandez is a candidate.