This offseason, the Boston Red Sox signed Japanese star Masataka Yoshida to a five-year $90 million contract. If you include the posting fee Boston paid, the Red Sox invested $105.375 million into this deal. This is the most amount of money that Boston has ever invested into a Japanese player. This breaks the record of the $103 million that they invested into Daisuke Matsuzaka in 2006. With the success that Yoshida had in Japan, many are wondering what they should expect from him this season. Given the difficulties lefties face at Fenway Park and him adjusting to big league arms; I believe the Red Sox should temper their power hitter expectations.
An NPB Legend
Prior to signing with the Boston Red Sox, Masataka Yoshida had a lot of success in the NPB for the Orix Buffaloes. For his career, Yoshida hit .326 with 135 home runs and 474 RBI with an OPS of .957. Mastaka Yoshida has also walked more times in his career than struck out. He was a two-time batting champion, a Japan Series champion, an Interleague MVP, and a four-time all-star and Pacific Nine Award winner. He also helped Team Japan win the gold medal at this past summer Olympics. Yoshida is also going to be playing for Team Japan in this year’s World Baseball Classic.
Hard To Predict If A Japanese Player Will Be Successful in MLB
The success of players that come over from Japan is very hard to predict, especially with position players. Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, and currently Shohei Ohtani are the gold standard for Japanese players having success in Major League Baseball. However, others like Kazuo Matsui, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, Kosuke Fukudome, and more were overmatched. While many Japanese players have come over to America with plenty of hype and fanfare, few live up to the expectations.
Power Decline And The Difference In Pitching Style
One thing that Masataka Yoshida may experience is a decline in his power numbers. This is something that a lot of power hitters coming from NPD experience. Prior to signing with the Cubs, Seiya Suzuki hit at least 25 home runs in seven straight seasons in Japan. In his rookie year, his home run total sharply declined to 14. Kosuke Fukodome had hit 192 career home runs in Japan, he would only homer 42 times total in four full seasons in America. The most amount of home runs he hit in a season in Major League Baseball was 13. This is due in part to stadiums being bigger in America than in Japan. In the NPD, there aren’t many pitchers throwing high-velocity pitches unlike in MLB. Most pitchers in Japan tend to throw more off-speed and slower pitches.
Fenway Park Is No Haven For Left-Handed Hitters
Something else working again Masataka Yoshida is that it’s very difficult to be a left-handed power hitter in Fenway Park. Brock Holt is currently the Red Sox all-time home run leader of Yoshida’s stature with seven. This feat was accomplished in just one season. Outside of the Red Sox, only eight players have recorded 20 or more homers in a season at Fenway Park. Making matters worse, Fenway Park isn’t friendly to left-handed pull hitters. It’s 380 feet to straightaway right field and 420 feet to the triangle in center field. Other than wrapping one around Pesky’s Pole, there are no easy home runs to right field. While the Red Sox are expecting Yoshida to be a power hitter, they ought to temper expectations.
Boston Should Count On More Contact Hitting And Walks
One thing you’ll be able to count on from Yoshida is his ability to get on base. He had 427 career walks in Japan to just 307 total strikeouts. This essentially means for every three strikeouts he’ll walk four times. He is a very skilled contact hitter as he racked up 900 hits in seven seasons in the NPD and owns a career average of .326.
This isn’t to say that Masataka Yoshida can’t be a successful left-handed power hitter in Fenway Park. Maybe his swing will produce power in the big leagues, even though Japanese players generally see their power decrease. Maybe his size will allow him to drive the ball into the bullpen or over the green monster.
Japanese players having success in Major League Baseball has been very “hit or miss.” The Red Sox have invested $105.375 million into Yoshiba and want him to be a power hitter. Masataka Yoshiba is going up against over 100 years of history proving how difficult left-handed pull hitters have it in Boston.
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