Red Sox DH Masataka Yoshida to undergo MRI on right shoulder
It has been a difficult year at the plate for Masataka Yoshida, and Sunday provided clarity on one reason why.
Yoshida has been battling through an undisclosed right shoulder injury for much of the season, and Red Sox manager Alex Cora confirmed that the designated hitter will see a doctor on Tuesday and undergo an MRI.
Surgery is possible depending on the results of the test.
Following the game Yoshida told reporters that the injury didn’t occur on any specific play and that it was something that has lingered for much of the year. It was also something he felt he could grind through, which is why he’s remained a presence in the lineup throughout the second half.
“When I had swing and misses I felt it a little bit, but I felt like I could keep swinging and playing so that’s why I kept playing,” Yoshida said via translator Yutaro Yamaguchi.
Yoshida finished with a .280 batting average, 10 home runs, 56 RBI and a .765 OPS in 108 games, respectable numbers for the second-year big leaguer, though not a level of production he found satisfactory. Yoshida said following the game he plans to do everything he can to prepare for 2025 and make sure he’s ready for the new season.
The shoulder ailment is one of a number of issues Yoshida has battled throughout the season. The 31-year-old also spent five weeks on the injured list with a left thumb strain in May and June, an injury that made it difficult for Yoshida to grip the bat and limited Yoshida through the season’s first month.