The Boston Red Sox are well represented in this year’s World Baseball Classic, and Masataka Yoshida is already doing great things.

Yoshida played well in Samurai Japan’s 13-0 win over Chinese Taipei. He went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. He was Japan’s cleanup hitter and played in left field. He was hitless in his lone spring training game with the Red Sox, but he seems to have found his swing for Japan.

Japan is one of the favorites to win the tournament, and Yoshida is a huge reason why. He slashed .409/.531/.727 with two home runs and 13 RBIs in the last World Baseball Classic. He has started this tournament off with a hot bat as well.

When the World Baseball Classic ends, Yoshida will hope to bring a hot bat back to the Red Sox. However, his role on the team is still up in the air. The Red Sox are not going to keep his bat out of the lineup if he is swinging well, but they will have to get creative. Due to the outfield logjam, the designated hitter spot will be needed for one of the Red Sox’s young outfielders.

Right now, Jarren Duran and Yoshida seem like the favorites to spend time in the designated hitter spot. Roman Anthony, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu figure to be regulars in the outfield. However, early results from Yoshida in the World Baseball Classic give Red Sox fans something to look forward to.

His first hit was a double, but Yoshida advanced to third base. The ball left his bat at 97.2 mph and went 341 feet. He had a 21-degree launch angle. His second hit was a line drive that ended up as a single, leaving his bat at 95.8 mph.

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