Boston Red Sox Make Pair of Major Announcements Regarding Injured Stars

With Rafael Devers now traded, Yoshida has a clear path to fairly regular playing time at the designated hitter position. When Devers was on the roster, how Yoshida would be used was unclear, but that move cleared room for him. The Red Sox had interest in trading Yoshida during the offseason, but given his shoulder injury and his hefty price tag, they were unable to move him. He had three years and $54 million left on his contract heading into this season.

Yoshida hit .280 with 10 homers and 56 RBI in 2024, battling a thumb injury and his defensive limitations en route to just 378 at-bats. He still posted a solid .349 on-base percentage and has elite bat-to-ball skills. When he's able to play, he should be able to contribute to Boston's lineup. Furthermore, the fact that he'll be able to throw well enough to play defense gives Cora additional options. Perhaps he can see some time in the outfield and allow Cora to rotate others through the DH spot.

Bregman, 31, was having a great year before suffering a right quad injury at the end of May. Signed as a free agent this offseason, he's hitting .299 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs. When he is able to return, it's likely that top prospect Marcelo Mayer will move to second base.

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