Red Sox fans not buying team's claim that Masataka Yoshida needs a new translator - "Such a dysfunctional organization"

One could convincingly argue that Masataka Yoshida represented the best off-season pickup for the Boston Red Sox last year. However, despite a strong 2023 from Yoshida, it appears as though his team wants their outfielder's communication to be better.

Despite hitting .289/.338/.445 with 15 home runs, 72 RBIs, and 8 steals in his MLB debut, the Boston Red Sox appear to have some complaints with Yoshida's interpreter. According to the Boston Globe, the team is in the market for a new translator for Yoshida after sensing that 2022 translator Keiichiro Wakabayashi failed to communicate well between Yoshida and the coaching staff.

"According to @BGlobeSports, the Red Sox are looking to hire a new translator for Masataka Yoshida for 2024. Keiichiro Wakabayashi filled the role this past season. Apparently the organization felt like communication between Yoshida and the coaching staff could have been better." - Tyler Milliken

In 2023, the Red Sox finished in the AL East's last place for the second straight season. After finishing a full twenty-three games back of the Baltimore Orioles in their division, fans appear to think that the team has bigger priorities to deal with.

A native of the central Japanese city of Fukui, Yoshida spent seven seasons on the Orix Buffaloes of Japan's NPB. Over the course of his time there, Masataka Yoshida was a two-time batting champ, a four-time All-Star, and a Japan Series winner.

After being stripped of talent in the form of key departures like JD Martinez and Xander Bogaerts last offseason, the Red Sox were desperate to source new skill. Eventually, the team agreed to ink Yoshida to a five-year contract worth $90 million.

Like many Japanese MLB players, Yoshida is not fluent in English. However, his close friendship with Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani has led many to believe that his continued presence on the Red Sox may be enough to convince the pending free agent to pursue a deal in Beantown.

Masataka Yoshida has adapted to North American baseball spectacularly

Translator or not, hitting is a universal language. In 2023, Masataka Yoshida showed that the NPB is, without a doubt, the second-best league on earth.

Now, with teams like the New York Yankees actively courting fellow Buffalo Yoshinobu Yamamoto, expect to see a lot more players from Japan making significant inroads into MLB in the coming years. Despite only eight Japanese players making opening day rosters in 2023, the number is almost certain to climb in the coming years.