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When Shohei Ohtani confirmed that he would be playing for his home country of Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, he instantly shifted the balance of the tournament.
Although Team Japan were victorious in both the 2006 and 2009 tournaments, they have been fruitless ever since. The two-way superstar is looking to change that this time around.
The 28-year-old Los Angeles Angels star was on overdrive before the tournament even started, pummeling a pair of 3-run home runs against the Hanshin Tigers. He also pitched four innings and hit an RBI double in Team Japan's 8-1 win in their tournament opener against China.
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Apart from St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbar, Masataka Yoshida is drawing some of the most attention from fans. Nootbar notably made an excellent catch for Team Japan in Thursday's game against Korea.
Yoshida, meanwhile, is a two-time MVP in Japan's NPB and signed a five-year deal with the Boston Red Sox this past offseason.
"Are Masataka Yoshida and Shohei Ohtani becoming best friends? A lot of people are saying that." - @ Jared Carrabis
After hitting an RBI single in Thursday's game, Masataka Yoshida saluted his teammate Shohei Ohtani, who advanced from first base to third on his hit. Yoshida's RBI came in the sixth inning and put his team up by a 10-4 margin.
Yoshida is expected to play an important role for the Boston Red Sox this season. The $90 million deal was largely seen as a measure to counterbalance the offensive powerhouses of Xander Bogaerts and J.D. Martinez. Both Bogaerts and Martinez departed the team this season.
Red Sox fans are already using the on-field encounter as a reason for Ohtani to consider signing with their team when his one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels expires after this season. One of them wrote on Twitter:
"I'm hearing Shohei is signing a team-friendly deal with the Sox just to play with Yoshi."
Another tweeted:
"Yoshi and Shohei best friends. Shohei signing with New Balance. Shohei to Boston confirmed."
Even with Yoshida Masataka, the Red Sox's prospects look grim. With the likes of Bogaerts and Martinez, the team compiled a record of 69-93 last season and finished last in their division.
At least fans know that the Red Sox probably have enough money to sign Shohei Ohtani. At the time of this writing, Japan is leading South Korea 11-4 in the eighth inning. Yoshida has five RBIs in the game.
Will Masataka Yoshida bring Shohei Ohtani to the Red Sox?
When Shohei Ohtani becomes a free agent next year, it is estimated that he might draw offers of up to half a billion dollars to sign.
Although his future is unknown, Red Sox fans can keep their dreams alive that his bond with teammate Masataka Yoshida will be enough to influence his big decision.
