Boston’s new star puts on a Classic show
This story was excerpted from Ian Browne’s Red Sox Beat e-newsletter. To learn the complete e-newsletter, click on right here. And subscribe to get it frequently in your inbox.
Masataka Yoshida will make his debut for the Red Sox on March 30 when he bats cleanup towards the Orioles at Fenway Park, however the Japanese star had his coming-out celebration through the worldwide showcase that’s the World Baseball Classic.
In that high-voltage atmosphere, Yoshida bought an opportunity to point out off his manufacturing and plate self-discipline to followers who hadn’t seen him play. Japan defeated the United States, 3-2, within the championship recreation and Yoshida completed the match with a WBC file 13 RBIs.
Most dramatically, Yoshida belted a game-tying three-run homer within the seventh inning of the semifinal spherical towards Mexico on Monday night time, making Japan’s thrilling walk-off win doable. In the identical recreation, Yoshida threw out a runner on the plate when Mexico had an opportunity to increase its result in three runs within the prime of the eighth. And within the backside of the ninth, Yoshida adopted Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff double with a stroll, serving to to arrange the walk-off, two-run double by Munetaka Murakami.
When the Red Sox signed Yoshida to a five-year, $90-million contract that included a $15.4 million posting price, there have been nameless workforce executives across the recreation who questioned the signing. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has been steadfast in his perception that the membership’s valuation of Yoshida was on the cash. It will take some time to search out out if he was proper, however early indicators are encouraging.
“He’s a good player. And this isn’t about [people] doubting us or whatever. Everyone is going to judge us for the next five years, right? You talk to anyone who played with or against him in Japan, they feel like he’s going to [thrive] here,” Red Sox supervisor Alex Cora mentioned.
“Just watching the tournament, with all due respect to everyone in that group, he’s been probably the MVP of the Japanese team. That at-bat [for the three-run homer] was great. Also, the patience. Going the other way with two strikes. The walk. The throw from left field. I’m not saying he’s the whole package, but I can say he’s a good baseball player.”
Given that Yoshida shall be taking part in within the pressurized market of Boston, it was a superb signal for him to flourish the best way he did on the stage that’s the WBC.
“He’s not afraid. This guy, he’s very stylish,” Cora mentioned. “I don’t think he’s going to shy away from the spotlight. It seems like he can slow down the game too, which is very important. We’re very proud of him.”
