The Mariners and Purple Sox have been linked collectively in commerce rumors for the higher a part of a yr, together with stories from earlier this winter that Seattle turned down Boston’s supply of Triston Casas for both Bryan Woo or Bryce Miller. One other intriguing deal involving Casas was not less than mentioned between the 2 sides, as MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand stories that the Sox weren’t prepared to comply with a deal that might’ve seen Casas swapped in change for Luis Castillo. The Purple Sox have been solely open to such a commerce if Masataka Yoshida was included together with Casas.
Yoshida signed a five-year, $90MM take care of the Purple Sox in December 2022, again when Chaim Bloom was nonetheless Boston’s chief baseball officer. The contract significantly exceeded what Yoshida was anticipated to land in his entry into North American baseball, and as soon as Craig Breslow took over Boston’s entrance workplace final winter, it didn’t take lengthy earlier than Yoshida’s title started to floor in commerce rumors. Yoshida remains to be owed $54MM over the ultimate three seasons of that deal, plus he underwent shoulder surgical procedure in October, although he’s anticipated to be recovered in time for Opening Day.
Since Yoshida’s contract has develop into the central speaking level of his MLB profession, his wage tends to obscure the truth that he has posted respectable numbers over his two seasons within the Present. Yoshida has hit .285/.343/.433 and 25 house runs over 1001 plate appearances, translating to a 112 wRC+. That manufacturing has ticked upwards towards right-handed pitching, because the lefty-swinging Yoshida naturally has higher splits towards righties (.810 OPS in 749 PA) than lefties (252 PA). Recognized for being a really disciplined hitter throughout his time in Japan, Yoshida has been certainly one of baseball’s hardest batters to strike out throughout his time with the Purple Sox.
For all of Yoshida’s contact, nevertheless, he hasn’t delivered a lot in the best way of onerous contact or energy numbers. He has additionally posted subpar stroll charges, and public defensive metrics didn’t like his glovework over 713 1/3 innings as a left fielder in 2023. The Purple Sox responded to the fielding struggles by limiting Yoshida virtually completely to DH responsibility in 2024, a choice that reportedly didn’t please the 31-year-old.
Because the Mariners might use a left-handed bat and mainly hitting assist of any form, Yoshida might need some enchantment on paper to Seattle. That stated, Randy Arozarena is ready to play left area and Mitch Haniger is already slated to tackle the majority of DH at-bats, so Yoshida would once more possible be restricted to a platoon DH position within the Mariners’ lineup. Additionally it is straightforward to think about what the M’s had little to no real interest in taking Yoshida’s contract off Boston’s arms, as stories have indicated that the Mariners may solely be open to transferring Castillo in an effort to clear his wage from the books.
Castillo is owed $68.25MM in assured cash from 2025-27, plus a $25MM vesting possibility for 2028 that turns into assured primarily based on well being, and if Castillo tosses not less than 180 innings throughout the 2027 season. Buying and selling Castillo and taking again Yoshida would characterize solely $39.25MM of financial savings for the Mariners’ payroll, which the M’s most likely didn’t view as worthwhile even with the larger advantage of acquiring a controllable younger slugger like Casas. Seattle president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto has publicly acknowledged that buying and selling from the rotation is a “Plan Z” possibility given how a lot the Mariners worth their elite pitching employees, and if the M’s did budge on transferring a starter, taking again an undesirable contract as wage offset is unquestionably not on Dipoto’s radar.
It appears more and more clear that the Sox are prepared to maneuver on from Yoshida, but naturally it will likely be tough in getting one other staff to soak up something greater than a fraction of his $54MM remaining wage. Attaching Casas or one other younger participant to Yoshida in a commerce bundle could be a major sweetener, even it may be seen as one thing of a waste of a commerce asset to surrender younger expertise as a part of a wage dump. Whereas $54MM clearly isn’t a drop within the bucket, Yoshida’s contract isn’t all that onerous for a big-market membership and a conventional massive spender just like the Purple Sox, plus their estimated $212MM luxurious tax quantity for 2025 is nicely underneath the $241MM tax threshold.
That stated, the Purple Sox have additionally exceeded the tax line simply as soon as within the final 5 years, as possession has made a transparent mandate to reduce the staff’s spending. This hasn’t stopped Breslow from making some important strikes, although Boston’s pitching acquisitions this winter (i.e. buying and selling for Garrett Crochet and signing Walker Buehler and Patrick Sandoval) got here with a fairly restricted monetary price. The Sox have additionally been linked to such main free agent names as Juan Soto, Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, Teoscar Hernandez, even when these gamers finally ended up signing elsewhere.
The Mariners and Purple Sox have been seen as pure commerce companions, as Seattle’s pitching depth and wish for hitting dovetails with Boston’s rotation wants and surplus of place gamers. Contemplating the standard of the Mariners’ arms, it’s protected to guess the Sox would nonetheless be open to including a Seattle starter if an appropriate deal may very well be lined up, however the two golf equipment have been unable to discover a match after not less than a yr of on-and-off commerce talks.
