Red Sox DH Reveals What He Missed Most During Injury Stint

Masataka Yoshida missed more than just at-bats and base running during his time on the injured list.

What he truly longed for was the electricity of competition.

“The biggest thing is being away from the game itself and watching it from the dugout,” Yoshida said through an interpreter, as transcribed by Tim Healy of the Boston Globe. “The nervousness the game brings to me — that was the one thing I was missing the most.”

That jolt of energy returned Wednesday night when Yoshida stepped back into the Boston Red Sox lineup after missing 15 weeks.

Serving as designated hitter and batting sixth against the Rockies, he delivered a 3-for-4 night with a double, an RBI and a run scored in a 10-2 win. Fenway Park greeted him with a warm ovation in the second inning, and he responded by driving a fastball into center for his first hit since Sept. 25 of last year.

Yoshida played through a right shoulder injury during the 2024 season and underwent labrum surgery in October. Despite appearing in 11 games during spring training (hitting .286 with seven RBI), the lingering effects kept him off the Opening Day roster.

What followed were weeks of strength training, rehab setbacks and waiting.

Now healthy, Yoshida said he is able to finish swings pain-free for the first time in nearly a year. Manager Alex Cora noted that Yoshida looks closer to his 2023 form, especially in batting practice.

Entering Wednesday, Yoshida had played in 248 games for Boston, batting .285 with 25 home runs and 128 RBIs across parts of the 2023 and 2024 seasons. The team expects him to DH against most right-handed starters moving forward, adding much needed potency to the lineup.

The hope now for both Yoshida and the Red Sox is that the shoulder issues stay in the past and his bat maintains electricity down the stretch.