The Boston Red Sox recently signed Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million contract.
Yoshida was one of the most sought-after commodities in the market, because of his unique skillset.
Yoshida has some power, but is really known for two things: his excellent plate discipline and his fantastic contact skills.
As a lefty-hitting outfielder, he is the same type of hitter as Michael Brantley, just younger and with a bit more power upside.
He is really, really good.
He was known as “Macho Man” in Japan.
The Red Sox posted an exciting hype video of Yoshida, with hits, home runs, and memorable moments of the player participating in “Macho-like” activities and the crowd lifting fake weights.
Take a look yourself.
Masataka Yoshida, 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗻. pic.twitter.com/5gb136P8bB
— Red Sox (@RedSox) December 15, 2022
The talented Yoshida made his debut in 2016 with the Orix Buffaloes, the same team he played for during his entire NPB career.
Yoshida’s Stats In Japan Are Impressive
Last year, Yoshida slashed .335/.447/.561 with 21 home runs, 88 RBI, and a 1.008 OPS.
During his entire career in Japan, he hit .327/.421/.539 with a .960 OPS, so he is clearly the real deal.
Let’s see how his game translates to MLB, but he won’t be fooled easily at the plate and will likely be very hard to strike out.
Red Sox fans have their hopes on “Macho Man” tearing the cover off the ball in 2023 and beyond.
He has the potential to become one of the most popular players on the team if health is on his side.
He will be tasked with getting on base and hitting the occasional home run, acting as a table-setter for the heavier bats in the lineup.
The burning question, for Boston, would be: who are going to be those “heavier” bats?
NEXT: Red Sox Fans Have Low Offseason Expectations