Japanese major leaguer Masataka Yoshida (30, Boston Red Sox) has finished adapting to the big leagues.
On the 27th (Korean time), in the 2023 MLB match against the Baltimore Orioles held at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Maryland, USA, Yoshida started as the 4th hitter and left fielder and recorded 1 hit and 1 RBI in 4 at-bats.
The only hit is a home run. Yoshida took the lead in the second inning, trailing 0-1, pulling opponent starter Tyler Wells’ 136km/h changeup and hitting a 126m tying solo home run over the right-middle fence. 크크크벳
It is the fourth home run of the season, added three days after recording two home runs in one game against the Milwaukee Brewers on the 24th.
Yoshida entered the US stage last winter by signing a surprise contract with Boston for 5 years and a total of 90 million dollars (120.4 billion won). Including all posting (private competitive bidding) costs, the amount invested by the Boston club in Yoshida’s recruitment is worth 105.4 million dollars (141 billion won).
Yoshida, who made his professional debut in 2016, has a batting average of 0.327, 133 homers and 467 RBIs in 762 games. In particular, he set a new record with 13 RBIs in a single tournament in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). He left a strong impression even before stepping into the big leagues. In particular, amidst the sluggishness of Munetaka Murakami (Yakult), who set a new record for most Japanese players with 56 homers last year, Yoshida served as the national team’s fourth hitter from the second round and played an active role as a solver, leading Japan to its third championship.
However, in the beginning of the big leagues, he suffered a severe hitting slump. His batting average before Minnesota on the 19th, after playing 13 games, fell to a season low of 0.167. There was only one home run. Gradually, concerns grew louder.