BOSTON -- After an offseason full of trade rumors involving him, it has been a difficult season for Boston Red Sox left fielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida. And with the trade deadline just six weeks away, is it finally time for the Red Sox to part ways with him?

Yoshida entered 2026 as the clear odd-man out in the Red Sox' well-documented outfield logjam, with all four of Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Wilyer Abreu ahead of him on the depth chart. Thanks to his poor defensive profile, Yoshida had been relegated to primarily pinch-hit and occasional designated hitter duties, finding himself in the starting lineup in only 13 of Boston's first 35 games. Yoshida performed well in limited opportunities, hitting .296/.415/.370/.785 in 65 plate appearances.  

The 32-year-old was presented with a golden opportunity for increased playing time when left fielder Roman Anthony landed on the 10-day injured list in early May with a torn ligament in his right ring finger, an injury that has taken much longer than expected to heal. 

However, Yoshida has struggled to capitalize on his increased playing time, hitting .218/.274/.310/.584 while appearing in all but eight of the 36 games Boston has played since Anthony's injury. 

Since being recalled on June 8, outfielder Nate Eaton has appeared in just two games, logging only three plate appearances. Eaton appeared in 41 games for Boston in 2025, hitting .296/.348/.343/.731 while providing 98th percentile sprint speed, with defensive versatility to play all over the field. 

After Wednesday night's loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, interim manager Chad Tracy told reporters, "I don’t think we have any avenue for a radical change" in the lineup. While it may not be a radical change, giving Eaton more run in Anthony's absence is one of the few levers left to pull as the Red Sox try to spark an anemic offense. 

Then, of course, comes the question: What do you do with Yoshida? Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow has tried over the last two offseasons to move on from the 32-year-old, to no avail, thanks to his $18.6 million annual contract, which runs through the 2027 season. It's a high price to pay for a player with as limited a ceiling as Yoshida.

However, as utility man Romy Gonzalez works his way back from injury, a decision will eventually have to be made on the roster. As the Red Sox continue to trend towards being deadline sellers, turning their attention to the future, given Yoshida's contract situation and age, the best route for Breslow to take may be to simply eat the remaining money on the contract and designate him for assignment, giving younger pieces a chance to prove themselves at the big league level. 

The Red Sox are 29-42 and in last place in the American League East. 

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