Well that was really fast! Masataka Yoshida was only just posted by the Orix Buffaloes, but he reportedly already has a deal!
Does this contract for an outfielder from Japan look familiar:
That deal basically nudges up the Seiya Suzuki contract with the Cubs. Pretty clear that was the comp.
Anyway, the signing, itself, is not of HUGE interest to us – Yoshida is a pure corner outfielder, and I don’t know how much he impacts the market in ways that could impact the Cubs. The only question is whether the deal means anything financially for the Red Sox in relation to Xander Bogaerts, and I gotta say … almost certainly not. It’s not like the Red Sox had Yoshida waiting and pounced because Bogaerts turned them down at the last minute today. Last we heard, things were progressing between Bogaerts and the Red Sox, and I’ve gotta believe that’s still true, unfortunately.