Japanese outfielder Masakata Yoshida (Boston Red Sox) who moved to the Major League after receiving the highest treatment for posting Asian batters before Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) announced his revival after completing rehabilitation. He hit a double from his first at-bat in an exhibition game, signaling a start of the new season. 

Yoshida started the exhibition game against the New York Mets in the 2025 Major League Baseball at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Florida on the 3rd (Korea Standard Time), and led his team to a 6-4 victory by swinging two hits and three RBIs in three at-bats. 
Yoshida's bat was sharp from the first batter's box in the first inning. With the bases loaded with one out, he hit the first pitch of Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn to post a two-run double to cross the right fence. Yoshida, who ran to the second base, expressed her joy by clenching her fist. 

It was an exhibition game, but it was a meaningful moment for Yoshida. It was because it was the first game he played after undergoing rehabilitation after undergoing surgery for the right shoulder joint in October last year. Yoshida, who has felt shoulder pain since September 2023, did not play defense in the outfield last year and played as a designated hitter. 

After recovering from pain for a long time through surgery and rehabilitation, he made a good hit from the first game, and hence had no choice but to like it. In his second at-bat in the third inning with one out and runners on second base, Yoshida also hit a clean timely hit against left-hander Brandon Waddell, and posted three RBIs through multiple hits in just two at-bats. 

According to MLB.com , Yoshida said, "The result doesn't matter. It's important that I hit the first pitch in my first at-bat," adding, "I want to be ready until the opening game. I'll do my best to do so," expressing his willingness to play in the season opener against the Texas Rangers on the 28th. 

Boston manager Alex Cora said of Yoshida, "We are in the middle of a throwing program, and we will stay at 45 feet (13.7 meters). We have to wait and see for the opening game. We have to keep our players healthy," adding, "We will regain a healthy Yoshida. I am glad about that. He will dominate the strike zone at bat and give good batting performance," in anticipation of his revival. 

Yoshida, a right-handed left-handed outfielder who had the best performance with a .421 slugging percentage of .421 OPS.960, signed a five-year $90 million (about 131.5 billion won) contract with Boston through posting after the 2022 season. A year later, he advanced to the Major League with the highest ever treatment among Asian hitters who posted ahead of Lee Jung-hoo (six years and $113 million).   메이저놀이터

He had a batting average of 289 (155 hits in 537 at-bats) and 15 homers, 72 RBIs and OPS.783 in 140 games in the first year of 2023, which was a bit disappointing compared to his value, but he has spent some time adapting himself. However, he had a batting average of 280 (106 hits in 378 at-bats) in 108 games last year, in which he played despite shoulder pain, and had a poor performance with 10 homers and 56 RBIs and OPS. He had weak defense and slow feet, which made him regrettable as a player who needs to compete through batting performance. 

After undergoing shoulder surgery after the season, Yoshida was considered a failure of the Boston Red Sox. Boston also plans to recruit third baseman Alex Bregman from the free agent market and replace Raphael Devers as its designated hitter. The Athletic said on Wednesday that Boston should trade Yoshida for a considerable portion of his remaining salary, which has three-year, 54 million U.S. dollars contract. He also called it an investment that has already failed. 

Rumors of off-season trade continued, but due to the large amount of contracts remaining, no team emerged to accept Yoshida while holding on to Leakes. Trade demand is needed to show a rebound to a certain extent. "Trading is out of my control. I will focus only on producing the best performance in the Boston Red Sox," Yoshida said.