Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida: Sitting vs. lefty Sunday
Rotowire
Yoshida is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Reds.
With Cincinnati sending southpaw Nick Lodolo to the mound Sunday, the lefty-hitting Yoshida will begin the game in the dugout. He went 0-for-8 over the first two games of the series, and since returning from a thumb injury June 11, he's gone 4-for-34 with one RBI. Rob Refsnyder will serve as the designated hitter Sunday and bat second.
Yoshida (hand) will DH and bat sixth Tuesday against Toronto, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports.
Yoshida was hit in the hand by a pitch Sunday and was precautionarily held out of Monday's game against the Blue Jays with lefty Yusei Kikuchi on the mound for Toronto. As expected, Yoshida will be back in action Tuesday, filling his usual DH role. In five games this month, Yoshida is batting 2-for-17 (.118 ) with a double and a run scored.
Yoshida was removed from Sunday's 9-3 win over the Yankees after being hit on the hand by a pitch, Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe reports. He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout before exiting the contest.
Manager Alex Cora said Yoshida is fine, but the Red Sox are expected to hold the designated hitter out of the lineup Monday against the Blue Jays with Toronto set to bring lefty Yusei Kikuchi to the hill. Cora expects Yoshida back in the lineup Tuesday.
