The Boston Red Sox grabbed the upper hand in their AL Wild Card showdown thanks to a key swing from Masataka Yoshida, who revealed what was on his mind before his clutch hit in the Red Sox's 3-1 Game 1 win over the New York Yankees.
In a postgame piece published by MassLive’s Christopher Smith, the 32-year-old outfielder shared what he was anticipating when stepping into the box in the top of the seventh with two runners on.
“He kept throwing changeups to Sogie (Nick Sogard),” he told translator Yutaro Yamaguchi. “So I was kind of thinking that he might throw something hard and kind of up and in.”
The right call led to the right result. Facing Yankees reliever Luke Weaver, Yoshida took a 95.9 mph first-pitch fastball and sent it into right-center for a go-ahead two-run single. That flipped a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead and gave the Red Sox momentum in a game where every run mattered.
“I just wanted to be aggressive from the first pitch and I was able to do that.”
Yoshida’s mindset reflects his late-season resurgence after shoulder surgery sidelined him for the first half of the year. Since returning, he’s caught fire—batting .370 with 17 hits, 2 home runs, and 11 RBIs in his last 12 regular season games. Though Game 1 was his postseason debut, Yoshida's poise and preparation already appear to be a major asset for the Red Sox.
Moments like Tuesday night were exactly why he came to Boston.
“Moments like this, this is something I kind of wanted to get myself in and feel it and experience it. And so that’s why I came here.”
The historic rivalry between Boston and New York adds weight to every game—and clutch hits like Yoshida’s only raise the stakes. With a dominant 10-4 record against the Yankees this season, the Red Sox can punch their ticket to the ALDS with a win in Game 2 on Wednesday evening.
