Pirates Should Chase $90 Million Red Sox Outfielder
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No team can ever have too much outfield depth, but the Pittsburgh Pirates would be able to use Masataka Yoshida in the designated hitter spot as well.
While that spot is currently reserved for Ryan O'Hearn, anything can happen throughout the season.
Yoshida had a few injury scares in his career but he's not too far off from being voted No. 6 as the 2023 Rookie of the Year.
Knowing that, the Pirates should be interested. Yoshida may be 32 years old, but he's fresh off his third season in the league. He may have only played 55 games, but health is not an issue for the upcoming season.
Yoshida is Primed and Ready
Putting his past injuries behind him, the Pirates could once again be in the market for another left-handed hitter. Yoshida, the Japanese native, has spent all three of his years in the MLB with Boston.
Mass Live's Chris Cotillo recently predicted Yoshida won't be on the Opening Day roster which got some people thinking. The Pirates seem to be in a good spot with their outfield depth, but adding another quality bat is something they won't pass up.
If Boston is freely trading Yoshida, he's certainly worth a look. The five-year, $90 million deal he signed with the Red Sox isn't looking so good anymore as they have younger, healthier players who can be everyday players in their lineup. That's not saying Yoshida couldn't be, but the team simply no longer needs him to be that guy and now they're trying to escape.
Red Sox Won't Ask Much for Yoshida
Saying age is just a number is a bit ridiculous as the team isn't going to be bring back Andrew McCutchen, but Yoshida is at an entirely different point in his career. If the Pirates need him to play in the field everyday, he can certainly do so as he's going to be at 100% going into this season.
Keep in mind, Yoshida's numbers have always been great when healthy. He put up an OPS over .750 in both 2023 and 2024 and was red-hot upon his return at the end of last season. He has playoff experience, something this Pirates team desperately needs.
While they don't necessarily need another lefty or outfielder, this is a trade that likely wouldn't cost them much. As long as Yoshida stays healthy, it's one that should mutually benefit both parties in the long-term and that's considered a win for Pittsburgh.
-8bfc4854a6a49ec0e06fe32d76334d6d.jpeg "Jordon Lawrenz")
Jordon Lawrenz began his On SI journey writing for the Tennessee Titans and Iowa Hawkeyes. Since then, he's began contributing to both the New York Yankees and Pittsburgh Pirates. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.