Red Sox sign Japanese batting champ Masataka Yoshida
By JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer
BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Red Sox have agreed to terms with Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida. Yoshida won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics and twice led Japan’s Pacific League in batting. The deal will pay him $90 million over five years. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Red Sox designated infielder Jeter Downs for assignment. Downs had been acquired in the trade for Mookie Betts. Yoshida led Orix to a victory in the Japan Series in October, homering twice in Game 5 — including a walk-off to help Buffaloes rally from a ninth-inning deficit.