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4 Red Sox on Thin Ice This Offseason

The Boston Red Sox missed the playoffs for the third straight season in 2024. As a result, these four players are finding themselves on thin ice this MLB offseason.

By Devon Platana

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park.
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
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2. Masataka Yoshida, DH

After finishing sixth in the 2023 AL Rookie of the Year voting, Red Sox fans couldn't wait to see what Masataka Yoshida would do in his second MLB season.

Recording 378 at-bats across 108 games, Yoshida tallied 10 home runs, 56 RBIs, 27 walks, and a .280/.349/.415 slash line. While those are far from the worst numbers, they might not be good enough to keep the 31-year-old veteran in Boston for much longer.

After all, Yoshida's lack of defensive opportunities has him on the outside looking in. The Fukui, Japan native went from recording 69 games in the outfield in 2023 to zero last season, highlighting how he's fallen out of favor when it comes to manager Alex Cora's defensive plans.

Although Yoshida's bat is still solid, his one-dimensional role as the designated hitter makes him expendable. He's set to earn $18.6 million in each of the next three seasons, which is a steep price to pay for a DH who's yet to hit 20 HRs. At least it would be justifiable if he played more in the outfield, however, that clearly isn't the case.

The Red Sox have a plethora of outfielders on their roster, meaning it'll be difficult for Yoshida to see any defensive playing time. With that being the case, it makes sense for Boston to move on from him to help loosen up the outfield log jam.

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