Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida Reveals Timetable For Anticipated Return

The Boston Red Sox may soon get Masataka Yoshida back in the lineup.

Yoshida has yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. The 31-year-old is approaching a significant step back to Boston.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora disclosed before Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays that Yoshida could begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. Per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey, Yoshida said he hopes to return by the All-Star break.

Per NESN’s broadcast, Yoshida explained that he underwent surgery so he could play the outfield after exclusively working as a designated hitter last year. He’ll play some defense during his rehab stint.

“It’s been a little bit longer than I expected,” Yoshida said through an interpreter. “My goal was to be ready by Opening Day when I got the surgery, but it’s been a long process. But overall, I think I’m in good shape and ready to go.”

It would be a welcome sign if Yoshida’s shoulder is healthy enough to handle outfield reps, but the Red Sox already have Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela, Roman Anthony, and Wilyer Abreu. Yet the Rafael Devers trade could create an opening at DH.

Cora suggested last week that the Devers trade could expedite Yoshida’s rehab in hopes of his getting his bat to the big leagues sooner. He indicated the possibility of the left-handed hitter returning in a platoon with the right-handed Rob Refsnyder.

“He’s a good hitter,” Cora said of Yoshida. “We’ve seen it the last few years when he’s healthy. It’s a great at-bat. He hits the ball hard. He takes his walks. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but kind of like a plan on how to use him. We can platoon. We can do all this stuff. Ref and Masa together, that’s a pretty good hitter. So we’re going to be OK.”

Yoshida is a .300/.351/.459 hitter against righties in two seasons with the Red Sox. On the other hand, he mustered an anemic .595 OPS against lefties in 108 plate appearances last year.

Having Yoshida take the heavy portion of a timeshare could still be a big boon for a Red Sox lineup that’s batting .188 with 25 runs scored in nine games since sending Devers to the San Francisco Giants.