Masataka Yoshida’s season could be in jeopardy due to ‘significant’ hamstring injury

Reinforcements are on the way for the Red Sox lineup, with both Roman Anthony and Trevor Story in the midst of minor-league rehab assignments and inching closer to a return to the big leagues. 

But, it isn’t all good news on the injury front for the Red Sox, as Masataka Yoshida could be on the shelf for some time.

Speaking ahead of Boston’s home game against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy confirmed that Yoshida suffered a “significant” hamstring strain on Saturday against the Pirates.

“They’re still going to have a couple other doctors look at it. But enough knowledge at this point, looking at it, that it’s a significant strain that’s gonna keep him down for a while,” Tracy noted. “I don’t have a specific timetable on that, but it’s significant enough that it’s going to be pushing toward the end of the year. We’ll see what the other doctors say when they look at it as well.”

Yoshida was in clear pain while trying to leg out a double in Pittsburgh, with the 33-year-old DH exiting the game shortly after consulting with both Tracy and Boston’s training staff.

Yoshida has appeared in 87 games with the Red Sox this season, batting .274 with five home runs and 28 RBI. While he doesn’t offer much pop at the plate, Yoshida provided some value out of the DH spot due to his solid contact skills and low whiff rate. 

Yoshida’s status this year was far from the only injury update that Tracy relayed on Tuesday.

Boston got good news on the health of a pair of relievers recently placed on the IL: Garrett Whitlock and Justin Slaten. 

Despite the concerns of both getting sidelined due to elbow inflammation, subsequent MRI testing on both relievers revealed that they won’t need to go under the knife this season. 

“No structural damage found. Ligament, flexor mass, none of that,” Tracy said of Whitlock and Slaten. “It’s exactly what we expected. There’s some inflammation in there.

“We basically are right where we thought we’d be there. Rest, make sure that both of them get the symptoms resolved and have full range of motion, and then we can resume.”

Another arm who could return for the stretch run is Tanner Houck, who has been sidelined for more than a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery in August 2025. Tracy noted that Houck threw a live batting practice session in Fort Myers on Tuesday and could be a potential option for the final weeks of the season. 

“I would say that he’s in the picture,” Tracy said of Houck’s potential return in 2026. 

“If you’re on a mound throwing to hitters and you’re throwing 20-25 pitches, that’s a good thing,” Tracy added. “He obviously still has boxes to check being that that’s the first time he has thrown to hitters and it has been a while. But checking that box is a big one. Being out on the mound and doing that, velocity being where it was and everything — it’s a really good step.”

If he gets the green light, Houck could be utilized out of the bullpen as a power righty to slot in with other back-end relievers like Aroldis Chapman, Erik Miller, Whitlock, Slaten, and Tyron Guerrero. 

 

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.