When the Red Sox signed Masataka Yoshida over the offseason, most MLB executives and analysts panned the move.
Boston spent a total of $105 million to get the outfielder from Japan (a five-year, $90 million contract plus a $15 million posting fee), a price that many felt was too high, with one team executive reportedly telling ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel that he thought “he was worth less than half of what they paid.”
So far, the signing of Yoshida looks like a steal. The 29-year-old rookie has been one of the catalysts of the Red Sox’ offense, which ranked first in hits and second in runs entering Sunday.