Red Sox Outfielder Named Ideal 'Change of Scenery' Candidate at Trade Deadline

“The Red Sox don’t appear to have a spot for Yoshida,” Feinsand wrote, noting the 31-year-old has yet to appear in a game this season due to shoulder surgery last October. Yoshida managed only 35 at-bats during Spring Training, and his defensive limitations have made roster fit a serious challenge. With Rafael Devers getting more time at designated hitter, Feinsand explained that the Red Sox needed Yoshida to contribute in the outfield — but he played just one inning there in 2024.

Despite the questions about his role, Yoshida’s bat still holds value. In his first two seasons with Boston, he hit .285 with 25 home runs and 128 RBIs. Where Yoshida really shines is as a platoon against right-handed pitching, hitting .300 with a .810 OPS across 749 plate appearances.

Feinsand also pointed to Yoshida’s elite plate discipline as a major selling point. In 2024, he ranked in the top five percent of MLB in both whiff rate (14.6%) and strikeout rate (12.4%), showing the kind of offensive consistency that teams covet.

However, his contract is a roadblock to any trade. Yoshida is earning $18.6 million annually through the 2027 season, and Feinsand acknowledged that the Red Sox would likely need to absorb a significant portion of that salary to make a trade work. Still, with no clear path to playing time in Boston, some level of salary relief might be worth pursuing. For Yoshida, a new team could offer what he no longer has in Boston — opportunity.

As the deadline nears, the Red Sox will need to determine the fate of the franchise and whether Yoshida is involved in any future iteration of the team. If not, it is worth aggressively shopping the veteran in hopes of fielding any kind of return.