The Boston Red Sox placed designated hitter Masataka Yoshida on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain hours before Sunday afternoon’s series finale against the Pirates in Pittsburgh.
Yoshida left Saturday’s eventual 4-0 Red Sox win after doubling in the top of the third. He slid headfirst into second base, but quickly left the field limping.
The double extended Yoshida’s hitting streak to three games. He hit safely in 28 of his last 42 games dating back to June 10. Through 87 games this season Yoshida is batting .274 with a .746 OPS, 72 hits, 16 doubles, five home runs, 34 runs and 28 RBI. He has 28 walks to 33 strikeouts.
Mickey Gasper, who can catch, play first base and DH, rejoined the Red Sox in Pittsburgh as the corresponding roster move. Gasper was last with the team at the end of June. He owns a .243 average and .613 OPS in 34 big-league games this year, compared to a .337 average and 1.017 OPS in 54 games with Triple-A Worcester.
Gasper got off to a strong start in his first big-league stint of the year. The New Hampshire native batted .333 with a .756 OPS over 17 games between his May 10 season debut and the end of the month. Gasper began June with four hits in five games, but but production tailed off as the month continued; he batted .161 with a .486 OPS over 17 total games before the Red Sox optioned him back to Worcester following the June 26 home game against the New York Yankees.
“I just hope they’re learning that I’m going to give them everything I got, and I’m an open book,” Gasper told the Herald after getting called up in May. “I just hope that they’re learning from me what it takes for the little guy to get up to here, and play his heart out.”