Red Sox outfielder launches go-ahead blast as Japan improves to 3-0 in pool play.
Masataka Yoshida is off to a scorching start at the World Baseball Classic - and the timing could hardly be more interesting for the Boston Red Sox.
Yoshida delivered another pivotal moment Sunday morning for Team Japan, blasting a go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh inning to help secure a 4-3 win over Team Australia.
The reigning Classic champions had been held scoreless to that point and were seven outs away from falling on the wrong side of one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
Then Yoshida stepped in against Australian left-hander Jon Kennedy.
When Kennedy tried to sneak a down-and-in slider past him, Yoshida turned on it and launched a projected 394-foot drive into right field.
Yoshida immediately dropped his bat after contact, watching the ball sail out as Japan seized its first lead of the game.
The blast came just one day after Yoshida homered during an 8-6 win over South Korea, jumping on a center-cut curveball in an inning where Japan launched three home runs.
Through three games in the tournament, Yoshida has already piled up three extra-base hits, six RBI, and a staggering 1.783 OPS.
He opened the tournament with two hits in a mercy-rule victory over Chinese Taipei, and his latest heroics helped Japan improve to 3-0 and clinch the top seed in Pool C.
So far, Yoshida looks every bit like the “Macho Man” nickname that follows him.
Mar 20, 2023; Miami, Florida, USA; Japan left fielder Masataka Yoshida (34) runs toward first base after a base hit during the second inning against Mexico at LoanDepot Park. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)That power display stands in sharp contrast to Yoshida’s 2025 campaign in Boston, where injuries limited both his availability and his role.
The Red Sox outfielder hit just .266/.307/.388 while appearing in 55 games, spending much of the first half recovering from right shoulder surgery he underwent following the 2024 season.
His two home runs in the Classic have already matched half of his total from last year.
And with Boston’s outfield picture still evolving, Yoshida’s performance overseas adds another intriguing layer to the conversation.
The Red Sox have spent much of the past year trying to sort out a crowded and somewhat unsettled outfield mix. Defensive versatility, roster balance, and lineup construction have all factored into how the club has deployed its players, leaving Yoshida in a more limited role than many expected when he first arrived in Boston.
But if the version of Yoshida currently swinging the bat in the Classic carries over into the regular season, that equation could change quickly. For now, though, his focus remains on helping Japan chase another championship.
With Sunday’s win, the 2023 champions have already secured a spot in the knockout stage and will close out pool play against Czechia.
If Yoshida keeps hitting like this, Japan’s pursuit of a fourth Classic crown will have a powerful engine in the middle of its lineup - and the Red Sox may soon have a few more lineup questions of their own.
Aug 4, 2021; Yokohama, Japan; Team Japan outfielder Masataka Yoshida (34) hits a single against Korea in a baseball semifinal match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Yokohama Baseball Stadium. (Yukihito Taguchi/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.