Things haven’t always been pretty for the Boston Red Sox this season. The same could be said for some of their players. Injuries and struggles plagued Boston earlier in the year. As the club began turning things around in the last month, so did some of the Red Sox most important pieces. Designated hitter Masataka Yoshida had a less-than-ideal start to 2024. Lately, things have been a lot different for the soon-to-be 31-year-old. Yoshida looks a lot more like his 2023 self as of late. And his recent performances have signaled one thing: the Red Sox have their playoff-caliber DH back.
Red Sox Have Playoff-Caliber DH Back
Yoshida Turning The 2024 Season Around
It’s been a different Yoshida over the past two weeks. He struggled to start the year, sitting with a .228 average and just .618 OPS on June 22. Yoshida had come off the injured list just over a week after missing over a month with a left thumb strain. In his first nine games back, he batted just .118. It seemed like Yoshida wouldn’t be able to turn things around. But that’s exactly what he did. After that rough stretch, the Japanese product has been smooth sailing.
On June 22, Yoshida went 0-4 against the Cincinnati Reds. That was exactly 15 games ago. However, despite factoring in his dud, Yoshida still dominates over his last 15. He’s batting .321 during that period and has an OPS over .815. Those statistics are a lot different than the previous 15 contests. In 56 at-bats, Yoshida has 18 hits, two homers, and 12 RBI. In his last 110, he had just 26 knocks, two homers, and 12 RBI. Yoshida has basically doubled his season numbers over the past three weeks.
The hot streak began on June 24 against the Toronto Blue Jays. Yoshida went 2-3 with two singles. He had doubles in his next two contests and, despite going hitless on June 29, bounced back with two more knocks to end the month. After beginning June with a .118 average, he ended it with a .375 mark. Yoshida entered July sporting a .657 OPS. That would quickly change against the Miami Marlins.
Yoshida Lights Up July In Style
The Red Sox swept the Marlins in their first three games of July. Yoshida was a big part of it, collecting five hits in the first two matchups of the series. After tallying two RBI in 50 June at-bats, he had three in just 10 trips to the plate. Yoshida exited the series with a .672 OPS but hadn’t hit a home run since mid-April. Boston’s next opponent, the rival New York Yankees, would help change that.
The Red Sox trailed 3-1 in the ninth inning when pinch-hitter Dominic Smith singled to right field. Yoshida came to the plate and worked his way to a 3-2 count. Down to his last strike, the lefty stroked a ball over the head of Juan Soto for a homer. Boston sat down the Yanks in the ninth, scored two in the 10th, thanks to Ceddanne Rafaela, and won the game. It was one of the Red Sox best wins of 2024, and Yoshida was at the heart of it.
WITH TWO OUTS AND TWO STRIKES DOWN TWO RUNS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 9TH, MASATAKA YOSHIDA WITH A TWO RUN BOMB AND THE RED SOX HAVE TIED IT!!!! pic.twitter.com/aBqKqujjBi
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) July 6, 2024
Yoshida had just one hit during the rest of the series against the Yankees, but the damage was already done. Boston took two of three from New York and continued to climb the ladder. The Red Sox did the same against the Oakland Athletics in Boston. Yoshida showed up in a big way in both wins. In Game 1, the designated hitter had two hits, a walk, and an RBI. In Game 3, he exploded for three hits, a homer, and four RBI. Yoshida batted .455 against the Athletics with five total RBI. The series win helped the Red Sox climb into an American League Wild Card spot with a 51-41 record.
Don’t look now but Masataka Yoshida is slashing .333/.385/.528 with two homers and 11 RBI over 39 PA in the month of July so far. https://t.co/U9RSAVng0q
— Ed Hand (@EdHand89) July 12, 2024
Red Sox Have Playoff-Caliber DH
There have really been two different Masataka’s this season: the Yoshida before June 22 and the Yoshida after. The one before left Boston wondering if they should even play its $90 million man. The one after makes the Red Sox feel comfortable with another strong bat in a lineup pushing for the postseason.
If things were different and Yoshida hadn’t turned around his 2024 campaign, Boston’s trade deadline approach may be different. The club can focus more on finding starting pitching and less on improving the offense. There are still plenty of things for the Red Sox to do before the 2024 MLB trade deadline. Worrying about Yoshida is not one of them.
Main Photo Credits: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
The post Red Sox Have Playoff-Caliber DH Back appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.