Red Sox Predicted To Trade $90 Million Outfielder To Surprise NL West Team

There are too many cooks in the kitchen in Boston's outfield

Mar 7, 2015; Sarasota, FL, USA; A general view of Boston Red Sox hat and glove laying in the dugout at a spring training baseball game at Ed Smith Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images | Kim Klement-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox have a surplus of talented bats, which has created an impossible situation for their $90 million outfielder/DH.

Everyone knows that 31-year-old Masataka Yoshida is a brilliant hitter when healthy (he’s currently recovering from shoulder surgery), but no one knows how and where Yoshida will possibly fit into Boston’s lineup once he’s ready to return to the big league diamond.

The Red Sox outfield is more than full. All-Star Jarren Duran and sophomore studs Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu (American League MVP through two games) are locks out there, and No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony is waiting in the wings.

There’s no room for Yoshida at DH, either, with superstar Rafael Devers recently being labeled Boston’s full-time designated hitter by manager Alex Cora.

As FanSided’s Tim Smart noted on Thursday, a Yoshida trade is likely imminent. But where will Masa land? Smart offered one possible landing spot.

“It feels like Yoshida's days in Boston are numbered,” Smart wrote.

“Could the Sox move him without eating a portion of his contract? Unlikely, but it'll still take some creativity from Craig Breslow to find a deal that makes sense.”

“While the Rockies have some cheaper options than Yoshida, none of them are inspiring. Their current plan seems to be running out the pair of Nick Martini and Sam Hilliard while they wait for Zac Veen to debut. Unfortunately, Veen had a .281 OBP at Triple-A last year and struck out over 30% of the time this spring.”

“Is creating a Yoshida/Kris Bryant DH platoon in Colorado an advisable strategy? Well, no. But the Rockies have nothing to lose and their pipeline is thin enough that Yoshida could be a viable stopgap while Colorado works their way through a difficult rebuild.”

“The Red Sox might have to pay down a significant portion of Yoshida's remaining salary to get a deal done here. Despite Yoshida's flaws, he'd make the Rockies better and provide some stability to a challenged lineup.”

Yoshida has hit .285 with 25 home runs and 128 in a Red Sox uniform so far. Boston would love to keep him, but unless injuries happen (and soon), he’s more than likely going to be moved.

More MLB: Red Sox $90 Million Outfielder To Start Season In Minors; Will Trade Follow?