Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida’s hard hitting was analyzed by local media.
Yoshida stepped into the major leagues this season by signing a contract with Boston for five years and 90 million dollars (approximately 120 billion won). Immediately after the contract, there was criticism of ‘bubble’, but public opinion was aroused by setting a new record (13) for the most RBIs in a tournament at the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March.
However, after the opening of the major leagues, another question mark followed. Yoshida appeared in 13 games until the 19th of last month (Korean time), with a home run batting average of 0.167, an on-base percentage of 0.310 and a slugging percentage of 0.250. From the 13th, he missed 4 games due to a thigh injury.
And Yoshida has changed. Yoshida, who hit the bottom of his batting average, is producing hits in 16 consecutive games from the Minnesota Twins on the 21st to the Philadelphia Phillies on the 8th of this month. During this period, his performance reached 5 home runs, 0.438 OPS and 1.229.
In particular, he recorded 3 home runs batting average of 0.480 OPS 1.319 in 6 games in May, and was also selected as the American League Player of the Week on the 9th. The season’s performance also rose to a total of 29 games, 6 homers, 24 RBIs, 22 runs, a batting average of 0.321 OPS and 0.939, becoming Boston’s ‘good fortune’.토토사이트
The team is also on the rise. Boston, which was last in the East Division of the American League with 78 wins and 84 losses last year, recorded 8 wins and 2 losses in the last 10 games, and is now ranked 4th in the division with 22 wins and 13 losses. American League Wild Card 3rd place.
On the occasion of Yoshida’s selection as the player of the week, the official website of Major League Baseball analyzed his batting figures, saying, “To make sure that Yoshida’s $90 million contract is successful.”
According to the website above, Yoshida has increased his average launch angle from -5.1 to 5.9 degrees in his last 16 games over his first 13, and his barrel exit percentage has increased by a factor of 7. His expected slugging percentage rose from 0.275 to 0.730, and his exit velocity rose from 137 km/h to 150 km/h. His hard hitting percentage went from 32.6% to 59.3%.
The website said, “Yoshida is not a 40-home run hitter, but he has shown solid and consistent hitting over the past few weeks. The reason why the ‘rookie’ hitting metrics have changed so much is because of a change in approach. Yoshida, after consulting with the coaching staff in mid-April, After changing my batting form to an open stance, I can see the ball better than I did at the beginning of the season.”
“Yoshida’s ability to respond to four-seam fastballs was good even when he struggled in the early stages of the opening, and his ability to adapt to breaking balls and off-speed pitches changed dramatically. I can prove that it is worth ten thousand dollars.”