Reason Red Sox fans can smile No. 3) Kenley Jansen's 400th save
The 7th player in MLB history to record 400 saves: Kenley Jansen. https://t.co/n1YZrjhSiI
— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 11, 2023
On May 10 Kenley Jansen recorded his 400th career save, something that only six other closers have ever achieved in league history. The future hall-of-famer was Boston's lone All-Star this year and put up respectable numbers all season long. Jansen hasn't pitched since September 12 against the Yankees, but as of September 24 holds a 3.63 ERA with 29 saves in 33 opportunities and 52 strikeouts over 44.2 innings pitched. Securing a lockdown closer was a main focus for the Red Sox in recent offseasons, and they found just that with Jansen.
Reason Red Sox fans can smile No. 4) Masataka Yoshida is here, and he's here to stay
Now former Chief Baseball Officer, Chaim Bloom, shocked the baseball world when he signed Japanese phenom, Masataka Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million deal last December, a move that many considered an overpay and a risky move by Bloom.
Yoshida instantly proved that he belongs in Major League Baseball and solidified himself as the signing of the offseason. The Red Sox outfielder has been in the Rookie of the Year conversation all year long and has turned some heads with both his bat and his glove. Yoshida will finish 2023 with some of the most impressive hitting stats not only on the Red Sox, but the entire league. Yoshida's .288 batting average currently ranks fifth in the American League and as of September 24 Yoshida has a slash line of .288/.339/.446 with a .785 OPS to go with 15 home runs and 71 RBI. Yoshida will be fun to watch for many years to come as he continues to find his footing in Boston.