Boston Red Sox outfielder Masataka Yoshida has some fresh new kicks heading into his second MLB season.
Yoshida picked up some custom Under Armour cleats from sneaker designer Naoki Harada on Saturday. Harada shared photos of the shoes on social media, as well as a video of Yoshida taking batting practice in them.
The cleats are white and red with Red Sox logos on the tongue, but the right and left shoes are not identical.
Yoshida’s right cleat has red laces and a dark blue section featuring another Red Sox logo. The left cleat has green laces and a recreation of Fenway Park’s famed left field wall – the Green Monster.
Boston’s mascot, Wally the Green Monster, also appears on the left cleat.
Yoshida joined the Red Sox last offseason, signing a five-year, $90 million contract coming off a successful professional career in Japan. He finished sixth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, batting .289 with 15 home runs, 72 RBI, a .783 OPS and a 1.4 WAR in 140 games.
FanGraphs is projecting Yoshida to hit .291 with 17 home runs and an .821 OPS in 2024.
Boston could utilize Yoshida as a designated hitter more often this year than they did last year, since top outfield prospects Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela project to get more time at the major league level. High-level fielders Jarren Duran and Tyler O’Neill are on the roster as well.
Yoshida will have plenty of chances to rake at the plate, regardless, and now he’ll have the chance to do so in style.
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