Japanese major leaguer Masataka Yoshida (30, Boston Red Sox) did not get his first home run in his major league debut. Despite the conciliation of the Boston team, the will of the fans who caught the home run was firm.
Japanese media Tokyo Sports reported on the 5th that “Boston outfielder Yoshida’s first major league home run commemorative ball did not return to the player.”
On the 4th (Korean time), Yoshida started as a left fielder in the 2023 Major League Baseball home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates held at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, and recorded 1 hit, 2 RBI, and 1 walk in 4 at-bats.
The one hit was his first home run in his major league debut. Yoshida appeared at the bottom of the first inning with a score of 1-3, with 1 out and 2 base, watching Pittsburgh starter Yohan Oviedo’s first pitch, and then hit a 96.2 mile (154 km) four-seam fastball in the second pitch with a tying two-run homer that easily overcame the Green Monster in left center. connected It was a home run that hit after four games of his major league debut.
According to Tokyo Sports, the Boston team found a fan who caught Yoshida’s first home run ball and offered to retrieve the ball. However, the will to own the ball of the fans was firm. Boston clubhouse manager John McLaughlin said, “It was a girl who first caught the ball. The child’s parents had the ball,” he said. Sadly, we have given up on recovery negotiations.”
There was a controversy over this on the Boston club’s social media. Opinions differed between the view that holding the ball was a fan’s freedom and that it was right to return the ball for the Boston club and Yoshida. In the meantime, Tokyo Sports said, “If Yoshida becomes a superstar in the future, the ball can become a treasure.메이저놀이터 Perhaps the fan expected this and did not return it. It is proof that expectations for Yoshida are high.”
Yoshida is a heavy hitter who played an active role in 762 games in Japanese professional baseball with a batting average of 3027 (884 hits in 2703 bats), 133 homers, 467 RBIs and an OPS of .960. Last season, he led the Orix Buffaloes to the championship by playing with a batting average of 3.35 li (138 hits in 412 bats), 21 homers, 88 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.008 in 119 games last season. won) was contracted.