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Masataka Yoshida to Start Three of Next Five Games
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that outfielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida will start three of the team's next five games, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. Cora feels comfortable putting Yoshida in left field when they begin a series in Houston against the Astros next week. However, Yoshida is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game in Cincinnati against the Reds and right-hander Brady Singer. Fantasy managers should expect Yoshida to make his first start of the 2026 season in Sunday's finale in Cincy. With Yoshida getting set to enter the starting nine soon, it will push one of Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu, or Ceddanne Rafaela out of the lineup. The 32-year-old Japanese outfielder has seen his fantasy stock fall dramatically in 2026 after he played in just 55 games in 2025 due to a shoulder injury. Yoshida makes plenty of contact at the plate and has a .282 average through three seasons, but the power hasn't been there, and his less-than-stellar defensive work in the outfield leaves him more susceptible than ever to sitting on the bench in Boston.
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
Source: MassLive.com - Christopher Smith
