Ichiro Suzuki (2001, Seattle Mariners) tries to break through.
Masataka Yoshida’s (30, Boston Red Sox) bat danced again. Yoshida started in left field and went 4-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs, and one run scored in the Red Sox’ 2023 Major League Baseball home game against the New York Yankees on Sunday at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. 토토사이트
Yoshida added four more hits on the day, raising his season average to .309. In 61 games this season, Yoshida is 236-for-73 with seven home runs, 36 RBIs, 35 runs scored, a .479 slugging percentage, a .383 on-base percentage and an .862 OPS. His batting average is second in the American League, just ahead of Austin Hayes (Baltimore Orioles).
Yoshida will challenge for the batting title in his rookie season. He is eight runs behind the leader, Bo Bissett (Toronto Blue Jays, .317). If Yoshida wins the batting title, he will be the first Japanese major league batting champion in 22 years, following Ichiro in 2001.
Ichiro won the American League batting title in 2001 by hitting .350 with 242 hits in 692 at-bats in 157 games, ahead of Jason Giambi (then of the Oakland Athletics), who hit .342. It was his rookie season. Yoshida is the first Japanese player in 22 years to win the batting title in his debut season in a major league 안전놀이터순위.
In 2001, Ichiro also won the batting title, Rookie of the Year, MVP, Golden Glove, and Silver Slugger. I wonder how many titles Yoshida will take home this year. Even without the Golden Glove and Silver Slugger, winning the batting title and Rookie of the Year would be a huge deal.
However, there is a powerful variable. It’s a Japanese major leaguer. Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels). Ohtani went 1-for-3 against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday, raising his season average to .301. He is on pace for his first triple in 2018 and could challenge for the batting title. He recently hit .500 in a week and .421 in a full week.
The competition for the American League batting title is fierce. Between Yoshida and Ohtani are Whit Merrifield (.307, Toronto Blue Jays) and Yandy Diaz (.304, Tampa Bay Rays). Of the hitters who have gotten regular at-bats, six are in the triple digits and seven are in the 2-9 range.
All in all, Yoshida’s five-year, $90 million contract is off to a good start for Boston. Yoshida, like Ichiro, is proving once again that Japan’s best hitters can compete at the highest level in the major leagues.