Boston Red Sox Waste No Time In Bringing Masataka Yoshida To MLB

Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida is headed to the MLB thanks to the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox wasted no time in picking up the 29-year-old Olympian after the posting system with the Japanese big leagues started.

Yoshida reportedly agreed to a five-year deal worth $90 million on Wednesday, December 7, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

This excludes the posting fee of $15.4 million that Boston will also have to pay.

Yoshida spent seven seasons playing for the Orix Buffaloes, the same team that officially posted for the Japanese outfielder first.

He spent seven seasons with the Buffaloes.

Last season, he hit .335/.447/.561 with 21 home runs over 508 plate appearances and also showed tremendous plate discipline, walking 80 times and striking out 41 times in 119 games.

In seven seasons with Orix, he carried a .327/.421/.539 slash line.

Aware that there would be multiple MLB teams who would take interest in Yoshida, Boston may have been aware that they needed to act fast to beat the gun on other ballclubs.

As mentioned in a previous report here on the International Business Times, the Seattle Mariners were one of the teams they have been known to take in Japanese players.

Except for last season, the Mariners have been known to add Japanese baseball players. That list includes Makato Susuzki, a practice that dates back to 1996.

Given his stock, there is no question that there are big expectations on the shoulders of Yoshida.

However, hopes are high on him, especially considering his bat-to-ball skills are strong.

There is also the lack of strikeouts, something that could lead to him being a high-average corner outfielder.

Moreover, the Japanese is capable of hitting with moderate power, having logged four seasons with at least 20 home runs in NPB.

"He's someone that we like, we've spent a lot of time on," Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told MLB beat reporter Ian Browne. "Really, really good hitter, [gives a] quality at-bat and a great talent. I think first and foremost when you look at a player like him, the quality of the at-bat stands out."