Without Triston Casas and Masataka Yoshida in the lineup at the beginning of May, the Boston Red Sox's bats slowed down. To make matters worse, it doesn't appear they'll get Yoshida back to help lift them anytime soon (as the team already knew with Casas).
The designated hitter was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 29 after he jammed his hand during an at-bat the previous night. The injury was eventually narrowed down to a thumb issue.
Yoshida had his thumb examined multiple times to determine whether or not he needed surgery. After three doctors' opinions, he was told no surgery would be necessary, but it stil seems Yoshida will be sidelined for a long time.
The DH has been fully shut down and has not taken part in baseball activities recently, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The Red Sox will re-evaluate Yoshida's hand in "a few weeks."
Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida will be out "a few weeks" with thumb injury
He’s shut down and not traveling with the team. Plan is to re-evaluate “in a few weeks.” https://t.co/XXgt2yZ76F
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) May 21, 2024
Yoshida's injury timeline has been much longer than the 10 days Boston originally planned for him to spend on the IL. His hand has been a debated topic since he left the Sox's April 28 game with the injury — manager Alex Cora said he was concerned, but Yoshida himself admitted that he would see how it felt in the following days before he underwent any testing.
Yoshida's offensive production was slow to begin the season, but his years in Nippon Professional Baseball were often characterized by similar starts. The slugger's numbers began to change for the better just before he was hit on his hand. Yoshida carries a .275/.348/.388 slash line with two homers through 24 games, and a .318 average in his last 13 outings.
If Yoshida is good to return to action when his hand is re-evaluated in "a few weeks," his timetable could line up with Casas'. The first baseman is hopeful that he'll be able to come off the 60-day IL at the first possible opportunity on June 21.
Casas and Yoshida both have elite eyes and wield consistent bats, so their returns could change the course of Boston's season.