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

Red Sox Predicted To Cut Ties With $90 Million Veteran Before Opening Day

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Jan 5, 2026 2:00 PM ET

The Boston Red Sox's position-player surplus has not been alleviated at all heading into the new year.

Since the playoffs ended, all the Red Sox have done is swap out Alex Bregman's bat for Willson Contreras. Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer will return from the injured list immediately, as will first baseman Triston Casas at some point, and Bregman may well return in free agency.

Even for all the posturing chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has done about extra position players not being a bad thing, someone probably has to go eventually. One insider believes there will be a move that has been speculated for well over a year at this point.

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Will Red Sox trade/release Masataka Yoshida?

On Monday, Chris Cotillo of MassLive predicted that the Red Sox would cut ties with designated hitter Masataka Yoshida, ideally via trade. The only other option, of course, would be to release the three-year veteran and eat the remaining $37 million on his five-year, $90 million contract.

"I write this prediction every year. It never happens," Cotillo wrote. "But if the Red Sox don’t trade an outfielder, it’s almost impossible to see Yoshida having a spot on the team, especially with Triston Casas also looking for at-bats behind Contreras in the first base/DH mix.

"If the Red Sox can find a club to take on some of Yoshida’s contract in a trade, it would be a huge win."

Yoshida was one of the Red Sox's two best hitters in September and October alongside Trevor Story, but his season was still a disappointment on the whole, as he returned from shoulder surgery in July and only hit four home runs in 55 games.

If Yoshida stays, Bregman returns, and none of the outfielders are traded, the Red Sox would be leaving at least two of the following bats out of the lineup every day: Contreras, Casas, Yoshida, Jarren Duran, and Wilyer Abreu.

It's not clear which teams would have any interest in Yoshida at this point, but the Red Sox should be opportunistic until the last possible moment about trying to move him.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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