The Boston Red Sox closely monitored one of their veteran progress this spring as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery. However, his return to regular action has been delayed by a new setback.
Manager Alex Cora revealed Thursday that he is now dealing with a back issue, prompting him to travel to Boston for further evaluation.
“He has a sore back,” Cora told reporters, according to MassLive’s Sean McAdam. “He’s actually flying to Boston. We were planning on keeping him in Fort Myers until he was ready for the outfield, but he’ll continue his rehab for the (shoulder) there and will rejoin us when he’s ready to play.”
Cora did not specify when or how the injury occurred.
Yoshida was never expected to be available for Opening Day, as he had yet to be cleared to throw. The Red Sox officially placed him on the 10-day injured list Thursday due to his recovery from right shoulder labral repair.
This spring, Yoshida played in 11 games, posting a .286 batting average with one home run and seven RBIs. His absence to start the season isn’t a major concern for Boston, as there currently isn’t a clear lineup spot for him. With Rafael Devers shifting to designated hitter—where Yoshida primarily played last season—he projects to be the team’s fourth or fifth outfielder.
That’s not the role Boston envisioned when signing Yoshida to a five-year, $90 million contract in the 2022 offseason. For now, though, the team’s priority is getting him back to full health.
