Red Sox Get Positive Update on Potential Rafael Devers Replacement

When a player goes on a rehab assignment, that typically means that player is approaching his return to the roster. This move is a big one for the Red Sox, especially after trading away their designated hitter a week ago.

Yoshida, while not expected to be a full-time designated hitter when he returns, could be part of a strong platoon. Cora previously referenced Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder splitting time in that spot.

Yoshida is currently on the 60-day injured list, but is nearing a return to the big leagues. While he's still a ways away, this update is a very encouraging sign and is positive overall, as it's the first sign that Yoshida is nearing his return.

In his Red Sox career, Yoshida has 25 home runs and a .285 batting average across 915 at-bats. He's a fairly consistent slugger, as each of the past two seasons he has 1.4 WAR and very similar averages.

In 2023 Yoshida hit .289/.338/.445 with a .783 OPS and a 109 OPS+. In 2024, Yoshida hit .280/.349/.415 with a .765 OPS and a 115 OPS+. Both seasons were very close to one another, and upon his return, his numbers could very likely look the same. 

If they did, Boston would be adding a huge bat to their lineup down the stretch as they look to lock up a Wild Card spot in a hotly contested AL Wild Card race. Yoshida's return isn't immediate, but his starting a rehab assignment is good news that he's closer to his return.