The World Baseball Classic begins on March 4 and over a dozen Boston Red Sox players have departed spring training in Fort Myers to represent their countries. Many Sox fans will remember that the first glimpses they saw of Masataka Yoshida's game came during the 2023 tournament, which his home country, Japan, won.
Yoshida joined Team Japan days before the rest of Boston's WBC players left, as he had to return to Japan and get used to the time change before pool play. Surely he looks forward to the chance to represent his homeland, but Yoshida also had incredible tournament the last time he played three years ago — he logged nine hits, including two home runs, and 13 RBI in seven games. His 13 RBI are a WBC record.
Yoshida's WBC performance excited Boston fans and gave them hope for huge success with the Red Sox. That hasn't come, though Yoshida isn't entirely at fault. He's dealt with frequent injuries and roster crowding since 2024. Just as Yoshida hasn't consistently met the Red Sox's expectations, the big leagues haven't met his (subscription required).
The WBC could represent a chance at a new beginning for Yoshida for a few reasons. He's usually a slow starter who takes a while to warm up to his full potential. The thrill of participating in the WBC, on a team that will more than likely go far in the tournament, will give Yoshida plenty of time to warm up for a full season of baseball ahead.
The World Baseball Classic can help Masataka Yoshida stand out to Red Sox
A wamed-up Yoshida could find his way onto the Sox's roster more frequently. Boston already has Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran and Willson Contreras to rotate through the designated hitter spot, but a Yoshida at peak performance can be so good he's hard to ignore. He was the team's best hitter during its playoff push in September, with a .333/.351/.486 slash line and two home runs to his name. He's already off to a great start after crushing a 415-foot home run in a March 2 exhibition game against his former NPB team, the Orix Buffaloes.
Yoshida's trade value could also increase with a successful tournament. As highly as the Red Sox think of him and as few complaints as they have about his work ethic, his fit with the current lineup makes little sense. Boston salary dumped Jordan Hicks earlier this offseason by attaching top pitching prospect David Sandlin to him and shipping them both to the Chicago White Sox, with part of Hicks' salary. It could do the same with Yoshida, who has been a better player in recent years.
Yoshida has a small but passionate group of Red Sox fans behind him, and they certainly hope he plays well enough in the WBC to catch the team's eye. He's a good hitter who deserves more respect than the Red Sox's roster construction has been able to give him, and the WBC is a huge chance to prove himself worthy of more frequent playing time.