How Rafael Devers Trade Could Help Injured Red Sox Outfielder

The Red Sox closed the door on Rafael Devers, and by doing so, they may have opened the door for Masataka Yoshida.

The injured outfielder is recovering from shoulder surgery. But with Devers going to the San Francisco Giants, there’s a path back into the lineup for Yoshida once he’s good to go.

“It was and still is unclear how Yoshida would fit in the ultra-crowded Boston outfield even if able to throw,” Yahoo Sports’ Justin Shusterman wrote Monday. “But with Devers gone, the DH role that Boston seemingly preferred for Yoshida is once again vacant.

“It might seem a bit strange to re-clog the DH spot with a hitter who, while perhaps underrated, is objectively much worse than Devers, but that might be the most obvious path forward for Boston given where things stand.”

Yoshida started the 2025 season on the injured list after suffering a setback in his rehab during spring training. He played in just 108 games last season, hitting .280 with 10 home runs and 56 RBI.

As a rookie in 2023, the former Japanese star flashed potential, hitting .289 with 15 home runs and 72 RBI, helping him finish sixth in voting for American League Rookie of the Year.

The 31-year-old Yoshida is in the third year of a five-year, $90 million contract with the Red Sox. He’s expected to return following the All-Star break, according to MLB.com, which reported Yoshida has begun throwing from left field to second base with “increased intensity and velocity.”

Until he returns, look for manager Alex Cora to cycle several players through the designated hitter slot. In the club’s first game following the Devers trade, rookie Kristian Campbell batted ninth as the DH and went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in the Red Sox’s 2-0 win over the Seattle Mariners.