Red Sox activate Masataka Yoshida, designate Garrett Cooper for assignment

The Red Sox are getting back one of their top bats ahead of this week’s crucial homestand, as designated hitter Masataka Yoshida has been activated from the 10-day injured list.

To clear space for Yoshida on the active roster, the Red Sox have also designated first baseman Garrett Cooper for assignment.

Yoshida has been out since April 28 with a left thumb strain, which he suffered at an unspecified point in mid-April and played through for about a week before coming out of the club’s 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs. The injury made it difficult for Yoshida to grip a bat without pain for several weeks, and it was only since early June the designated hitter was able to finally start swinging again.

Prior to the injury Yoshida was batting .275 with two home runs, 11 RBI and a .736 OPS through 24 games. Originally signed to a five-year, $90 million contract ahead of the 2023 season, Yoshida is one of the highest paid players on the team and was among the club’s best hitters last season, batting .289 with 15 home runs as an MLB rookie.

With Trevor Story, Triston Casas, Tyler O’Neill, Wilyer Abreu and Vaughn Grissom all sidelined due to injury, the Red Sox lineup badly needs reinforcements. Getting Yoshida back should hopefully help jumpstart an offense that has averaged just 4.25 runs per game since the start of May, a mark that would rank below league-average over a full season.

Cooper, who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs after Triston Casas got hurt and just before Yoshida was placed on the IL, batted .206 with a home run and .566 OPS in 24 games with the Red Sox.

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