Maybe his size will not prevent him from driving balls into the bullpen or popping them over the Green Monster. Maybe Yoshida's swing will produce power in the big leagues, even though players generally see their home run numbers decrease after leaving Japan. "You can talk about the risk that goes along with it but we also see upside, especially seeing in particular this year, the power come out and the ability to let loose that power when it fits the situation, and also to make sure to put the ball in play when it fits the situation and the ability he demonstrated to do that in all kinds of different spots." "The way the swing works and the way that he sees the ball, those things do tend to translate really well in whatever environment a player is in. "There is a foundation here to be able to do some things and handle an at-bat a certain way," Bloom said. Over seven seasons in Japan, the 29-year-old walked four times for every three strikeouts. Still, the Red Sox liked Yoshida's complete package enough to make him their most expensive addition of the offseason. Other than wrapping one around Pesky's Pole, there are no cheap homers to right field here. It's 380 feet to straightaway right field and 420 to the triangle in center. Making matters worse, Fenway Park isn't exactly kind to left-handed pull hitters. But the Red Sox have five years and $90 million riding on the likelihood that he is, and that's no small risk. That's not to say Yoshida can't be the exception. Red Sox' recent success fueled by former top prospects No one did it between Morgan in 1977 and Calhoun in 2019. Legendary Yankees catcher Yogi Berra did it 11 times, and fellow Hall of Famer Joe Morgan turned the trick four times for the Reds in the 1970s. Expanding our view beyond the Red Sox, only eight such players have recorded even 20 homers in a season, though two of them - Baltimore's Cedric Mullens and Texas's Willie Calhoun - have done so in the last three years. They don't exist.īrock Holt is the franchise record holder for homers in one season by a left-handed hitter of Yoshida's stature, with seven. If no left-handed hitters that size are springing to mind with a history of power production in Fenway Park, there's a reason for that. Should Red Sox pursue Ha-Seong Kim in trade with Padres? While those numbers are encouraging, these aren't: 5-foot-8. Yoshida hit 21 homers in Japan last season, three years after setting a career-high of 29. "Power came out," noted chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom. Known primarily for his contact skills and low strikeout rates in Japan, Yoshida intrigued Red Sox brass with an ability to drive the ball from the left side. He'll have to overcome one major physical disadvantage to do it. He was tagged for just two runs but allowed the go-ahead home run to Willie Calhoun in the home half of the sixth inning to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead.The Red Sox didn't sign Masataka Yoshida because they believe he's the next Ichiro, but because they hope he'll hit for power. German limited the damage against the Red Sox last weekend as he pitched six innings and allowed only one run on six hits.īoston is sending Tanner Houck to the mound for the Saturday rematch versus German. The 30-year old is 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA in two starts in June. Red Sox: Here are the odds, tips, best bets and predictionĭomingo German will make his 13th start of the season for the Bronx Bombers. Despite the losing record, the Red Sox finds themselves five games back in the AL wild-card race.īetting advice: Yankees vs. The Red Sox (34-35, 5th in AL East) dropped two of three at home against the Colorado Rockies and are 6-8 in June. Outside of their series win in the Bronx last weekend, it hasn't been smooth sailing for Boston either. More: Watch these four Yankees players closely vs. New York has scored four or fewer runs in seven of its past nine games without the 2022 AL MVP in the lineup. 500 (4-5) and have not won back-to-back games. Since losing superstar Aaron Judge, the Yankees (39-30, 3rd in AL East), are under. The New York Yankees are visiting Fenway Park for the first time this season to take on their hated rival Boston Red Sox in a three-game series starting tonight at 7:10 p.m. Watch Video: Subway Series 2023: What Yankees and Mets need to do before next meeting
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