Local Reporters Amazed by Yoshida’s 30% Batting Average in First Year in the Majors
When it comes to professional baseball in Japan (NPB) versus the Major League Baseball (MLB), there are significant differences that go beyond the obvious distinctions in equipment and playing surfaces. The transition from one league to the other is not always seamless, and success in Japan does not guarantee success in the majors, and vice versa.
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Historically, it seems that pitchers from Japan have fared better than fielders when making the switch to the majors. However, maintaining a consistent level of performance in the first year after the transfer is quite challenging. It has been nearly two decades since Ichiro Suzuki, who won Rookie of the Year with the Seattle Mariners in 2001, that an infielder, let alone a leadoff hitter, has been able to achieve such feat.
In a remarkable first year in the majors, Red Sox outfielder Masanao Yoshida has been performing at a level that puts him on the path to becoming a Hall of Fame player. As of September 9th (10th in Japan), he boasts a batting average of .304, ranking fifth in the American League. Although he is just behind the current leading hitter, Beau Bichette of the Toronto Blue Jays (.321 batting average), with 48 games remaining, Yoshida has a chance to claim the top spot.
Yoshida, a left-handed hitter known for his powerful swing despite his smaller stature, has shown excellent contact ability and the versatility to hit the ball in different directions. He has a keen eye for selecting pitches, with impressive walk-to-strikeout ratios even during his time in the NPB with the Orix team. Many fans are captivated by his graceful batting form, despite the lack of raw power. In 2016, he did not reach a batting average of .300 in his first year as a professional in Japan. However, by 2020, he had become the league’s leading hitter for two consecutive years.
Yoshida’s batting prowess was on full display during the World Baseball Classic in March, where he achieved a remarkable .409 batting average, hit two home runs, and recorded 13 RBIs. His outstanding performance was instrumental in leading Team Japan to victory in the tournament, marking the country’s first triumph in three attempts. Although his batting average initially dipped to around 10% in the early stages of the MLB season, Yoshida quickly rebounded, going on a 16-game hitting streak that started on April 20th (21st) against the Minnesota Twins. Since May 3rd (4th) he has maintained a batting average of .290 or higher, consistently hovering around the 30% mark.
Praising Yoshida’s achievements, Pete Abraham, a veteran reporter for the Boston Globe, a local newspaper, exclaimed, “Amazing!” With over a decade of experience covering the Red Sox, Abraham has witnessed the success of legendary players like Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and David Ortiz. He is thoroughly impressed by Yoshida’s high baseball IQ and anticipates even greater power from him in the future.
Boras Delighted with Swift Contract Agreement for Yoshida
The speedy agreement between Yoshida and the Red Sox, just one day after his posting on the market, caught many by surprise, including renowned baseball agent Scott Boras. Reflecting on the events that unfolded during the Winter Meeting, reporter Abraham recalls how most Japanese players who have made the transition to the majors previously reached a contract agreement at the last minute of the negotiation deadline. However, in Yoshida’s case, the deal was sealed on the same day he was posted, leaving a lasting impression on Boras.
Abraham elaborated, saying, “The Red Sox had been scouting Yoshida for quite some time, and they believed his talents warranted the high price tag of $100 million. Furthermore, the recent success of Xander Bogaerts’ free agency signing played a role in solidifying Yoshida’s contract. If you ask me if he is worth the investment, my answer would be a resounding ‘Yes!'”
Boras, who orchestrated the deal, is optimistic about Yoshida’s future in the majors and commented, “He’s exactly what we expected. He will continue to demonstrate his power and abilities from now on.” When discussing the reasoning behind Yoshida’s contract with the Red Sox, Boras mentioned, “I thought Yoshida’s batting style would seamlessly fit with the Red Sox’s lineup, and Fenway Park would provide him with an advantage in defense.” He also commended Yoshida’s dedication to researching his opponents, a quality that impressed him greatly.
Expert Opinions on Yoshida’s Style of Play
How does Yoshida fit into the Red Sox’s batting lineup? According to Julian McWilliams, a colleague of Abraham, his batting skills serve as a model for success. McWilliams highlighted that Yoshida’s ability to make contact and minimize strikeouts has greatly improved the efficiency of the Red Sox’s offensive play. For instance, leadoff hitter Jaren Duran has benefited from Yoshida’s consistency, with frequent doubles and opportunities to get on base. Yoshida’s strategic hitting moves the team forward, allowing the subsequent batters to bring Duran home. Alongside his high batting average and power, Yoshida has proven to possess a keen sense of situational hitting, ensuring the team’s success.
Following the news of the Red Sox’s interest in Yoshida last offseason, McWilliams reached out to Adam Jones for insights into Yoshida’s playing style. Jones had played for Orix for two seasons starting in 2020. When asked to describe Yoshida, the slugger with an impressive record of 282 home runs in the majors compared him to Japan’s own Juan Soto, emphasizing Yoshida’s versatility and confidence in facing pitchers at the highest level. Jones believed in Yoshida’s abilities due to his keen eye for pitches and attested to their effectiveness.
Yoshida’s approach to the game may not be flashy, but it exudes a sense of reliability and consistency. With his exceptional batting skills and high baseball IQ, there is no limit to how far Yoshida can go in his career. The journey has just begun, promising to entertain fans for years to come.
[PR] Check out the full video interview of McWilliams discussing Masanao Yoshida in the Boston Globe.
[Video] Behind-the-Scenes Stories of Masanao Yoshida’s Impressive First Year in the Majors Revealed by Local Reporters.
Holding a 30% batting average since the first year after joining the big leagues, local reporters say “Amazing!”
NPB and MLB. Although both are professional leagues with the same sport of “baseball = baseball,” you probably know that there are various differences between the two. Some things are obvious to the viewer, such as the difference between the ball and the turf, but there are also things that only the players who are actually playing can feel. For that reason alone, it is not necessarily true that a player who is active in Japan will be active in the majors, and vice versa.
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Looking at the players who have made the transition from Japan to the majors so far, it seems that pitchers tend to play longer and leave better results than fielders. However, it is difficult to continue a stable performance from the first year after the transfer. It would be the first time since Ichiro, who won Rookie of the Year with the Mariners in 2001, that he could be an infielder, let alone a leadoff hitter.
Red Sox outfielder Masanao Yoshida is turning in a performance approaching Hall of Fame stardom this season, his first year in the majors. As of 9th (10th Japan time), the batting average is .304, which is 5th in the American League. He’s just behind the top Blue Jays’ Beau Bichet (.321 batting average), but with 48 games to go, he’s within reach of the top hitter.
A left-handed hitter who is small but has a powerful swing. He has excellent contact ability and can hit the ball at a wide angle depending on the situation. He has a good eye for ball selection, and the number of walks and a few strikeouts was outstanding even during the Orix era. Many fans will be fascinated by the beautiful batting form without power. In 2016, his first year as a professional in Japan, he did not hit 30% with a batting average of . As of 2020, he was also the leading hitter for the second consecutive year.
One of Japan’s best hitters went wild with a .409 batting average, two homers, and 13 RBI in the WBC in March, leading Samurai Japan to become the best in the world for the first time in three tournaments. Immediately after the start of the season in the majors, the batting average dropped to the 10% level, but on April 20th (21st), he improved by hitting 16 games in a row against the Twins. After returning to the 30% range on May 3 (4th), he has maintained a batting average of .290 or more and is almost in the 30% range.
Mr. Pete Abraham, a veteran reporter for the Boston Globe, a local newspaper, praised Yoshida’s performance as “Amazing!” He has been with the Red Sox since 2010, and before that he was with the Yankees in New York. Derek Jeter of the Yankees, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, and others in their prime, and David Ortiz of the Red Sox and Jackie Bradley Jr. have seen the success of Yoshida’s high baseball IQ.
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“Looking at his performance so far, I think Masa is pretty smart. He always adapts to the pitchers he’s faced once, and even in the first game, it seems that Masa is always in control. You can see it. There are few mistakes, and even if it looks like it’s going down, you still get hits. Instead of just swinging the bat blindly, depending on the count, you can play as a team to carry the ball with a bat in the other direction. I asked the team I heard he did a lot of homework about the big league pitchers before he signed with the Red Sox, because he was surprised at how much knowledge he had.”
Yesterday, Yoshida was posted on December 7th (8th). Although the negotiation period was 45 days, a contract agreement with the Red Sox was reached in the extraordinary speed of just one day. Reporter Abraham looks back at the sudden turn of events that happened on the last day of the Winter Meeting.
“So far, most of the players from Japan who have transferred through the postal system have reached a contract agreement at the very last minute of the negotiation deadline. I was surprised that the deal was agreed on the day it was posted. I’ll never forget the face of Scott Boras, who responded (agent) and said, “I did” (laughs).”
Furthermore, he continued: “The Red Sox have been scouting Masa for quite some time. 100 million yen) certainly seems an extremely high price, but the Red Sox decided it was worth it. The the fact that the transfer of Xander Bogaerts (now Padres), who came in free agency, certainly also helped Masa’s contract. If you ask me if my performance is worth the contract, I would like to say ‘One more time!’
Mr Boras, who signed a big contract like a magic trick, has high hopes for Yoshida, who is active in the majors, saying, “It’s exactly what we expected. He’ll show more power from the here.” When asked about the background of the contract with the Red Sox, he explained, “I thought Masa’s batting style would fit well with the Red Sox batting line, and I thought Fenway Park would be an advantage in defense.” . Moreover, like Abraham, “Masa is smart. I have been responsible for many players, but I have been impressed by his dedication to research.”
What kind of player is Yoshida? Answer by Adam Jones to a local reporter
How does Yoshida fit into the Red Sox batting lineup? Abraham’s colleague Julian McWilliams explains it emphatically. As for Yoshida, he said, “His batting skills are like a model. I think he is the best hitter with the most stability.”
“Being able to put the ball in play (fewer whiffs) has helped the Red Sox lineup work better. For example, leadoff hitter Jaren Duran doubles a lot and gets on base a lot. Masa, who enters No. 2, carries the ball in the right direction and moves forward, and the following batter can return Duran home. In addition to his high batting average and power, he has the ability to read what kind of hits are needed now. I think we can succeed.”
After hearing that the Red Sox were interested in Yoshida last offseason, McWilliams contacted someone. Adam Jones, who played for Orix for two seasons from 2020. What kind of player is Yoshida? In response to reporter McWilliams’ question, the slugger who boasts 282 home runs in the majors said the following.
“They say, ‘He’s Japan’s Juan Soto,’ because Masa is as versatile as Soto. And he assured me he would take on pitchers in the majors. He’s a five-time All-Star. Adam Jones , who was chosen to play in the majors for many years, said, “I believed him because I thought he had a good eye, but he was definitely right.”
It may not be flashy at all, but there is a sense of security that always creates something. How high will Yoshida reach with his impressive batting skills and high baseball IQ? The challenge in the highways has just begun. It will entertain viewers for a while.
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Click here for the full Boston Globe interview video of McWilliams talking about Masanao Yoshida
[Fideo]The secret of Masanao Yoshida, who has been active since the first year of the transfer…? Lots of behind the scenes stories told by local reporters
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