BOSTON (AP) — The struggling Boston Red Sox could be getting some offensive help soon.
Manager Alex Cora said Masataka Yoshida would start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. The 31-year-old DH/outfielder has been out the entire season following surgery on his right shoulder in October.
“He’ll go on a rehab assignment. We’ll see how many at-bats he needs,” Cora said Saturday before the Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 15-1 at Fenway Park to halt a season-high six-game losing streak.
“He’s moving well, the swing feels great, the throwing has been a lot better,’’ Cora said. “He’s been able to bounce back, so we just have to map it out and see how we’re going to do it.”
Cora said he’d also play some games in the outfield. Last season, he was primarily the DH, getting into left field only once in 108 games.
In his first season in 2023 after signing a $90-million, five-year free agent deal with the team, he played 85 games in left.
On Saturday, Yoshida was shagging fly balls during batting practice in right field, ran the bases while others were hitting and took BP.
Also, third baseman Alex Bregman, who has been sidelined since late May with a strained right quad, ran lightly in the infield, and took grounders at third, throwing across the diamond before the Red Sox took BP.
“He’s just finishing taking ground balls,” Cora said. “It was a good day for him and Masa.”
When he was injured, Bregman was one of the club’s most productive hitters, batting .299 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 51 games.
Cora recently said the 31-year-old Bregman isn’t expected to return until after the All-Star break.
Boston entered Saturday on its longest skid since September 2022. The Red Sox dropped the opener of a three-game series against Toronto, 9-0, on Friday night.
The Red Sox had only four hits on Friday and had that many in the first inning Saturday when they put up their first of three straight three-run innings.
“Obviously we needed it, but we're not panicking,” Cora said of the poor stretch. “It's part of the season. ... I think people made a bigger deal than what it is.”
The Red Sox signed Bregman as a free agent to a $120-million, three-year contract in mid-February.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora walks back to the dugout following a seventh inning pitching change during a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays Friday, June 27, 2025, in Boston. (AP/Photo/Jim Davis)
The Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story heads to the dugout after striking out in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, June 27, 2025, in Boston. (AP/Photo/Jim Davis)
Boston Red Sox left fielder Jarren Duran stands in front of the scoreboard after the Toronto Blue Jays scored a run in the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, June 27, 2025, in Boston. (AP/Photo/Jim Davis)
Arsenal ensured it will end the year top of the Premier League after beating Aston Villa 4-1 at home in a powerful statement win on Tuesday with all goals scored in the second half.
The fourth goal, scored by substitute Gabriel Jesus one minute after coming on, highlighted the depth of Arsenal's bench this season and coach Mikel Arteta jubilantly high-fived his assistants at the final whistle.
Victory moved Arsenal five points ahead of Manchester City, which plays at Sunderland on New Year's Day, and six points clear of third-place Villa.
Elsewhere, Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth; Newcastle won 3-1 at lowly Burnley; and Manchester United was held 1-1 at home to rock-bottom Wolverhampton.
Struggling West Ham drew 2-2 with visiting Brighton, and Everton won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest.
No Arsenal player is near the top of the scorers’ charts this season, yet sharing the goals around might just be the team’s strength.
Defender Gabriel Magalhães headed home early in the second half following a corner for set-piece specialist Arsenal, and midfielder Martín Zubimendi netted in the 52nd minute.
Winger Leandro Trossard curled in a fine third from the edge of the penalty area in the 69th and was involved in the fourth goal, curled into the same corner from almost the same spot in the 78th minute by Jesus after Arsenal had launched a superb counterattack from deep.
The win was even more impressive considering Arsenal was missing key midfielder Declan Rice with a knee injury and Villa was playing on the back of 11 straight victories in all competitions.
Gabriel nodded in from close range and was deemed not to have impeded Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez with his elbow.
Zubimendi finished confidently after captain Martin Ødegaard expertly won the ball in midfield and advanced before threading a perfect ball behind Villa’s defense.
Ollie Watkins grabbed an injury-time consolation for Villa.
Bournemouth's David Brooks netted early from close range after Chelsea failed to deal with a throw-in from the right.
Cole Palmer equalized in the 15th with a penalty awarded after a video review ruled that Antoine Semenyo’s knee had gone into the back of forward Estevão’s leg.
Midfielder Enzo Fernández gave Chelsea the lead midway through the first half, but Chelsea gifted Bournemouth an equalizer when a defender headed on a throw-in from the left and Justin Kluivert scored at the back post for 2-2.
Chelsea is fifth and level on 30 points with United in sixth.
Manchester United led through Joshua Zirkzee’s deflected strike in the 27th but Ladislav Krejčí equalized close to halftime for Wolves with a powerful downward header.
It was Wolves manager Rob Edwards' first point since taking charge in November.
Patrick Dorgu’s injury-time goal for United was ruled out for offside by VAR.
Yoane Wissa grabbed his first league goal since joining from Brentford as Newcastle moved into 10th spot.
Newcastle was 2-0 up inside seven minutes with Joelinton being set up from the left wing by Anthony Gordon and Wissa bundling in from close range following a goalmouth scramble.
Josh Laurent pulled a goal back for Burnley midway through the first half. Newcastle survived nervy moments before Bruno Guimarães sealed the win with an expert lob in stoppage time.
Next-to-last Burnley is two points behind West Ham in 18th.
Everton netted in the 19th when James Garner drilled in a low finish after being set up down the right by Dwight McNeil.
Garner then turned neatly in midfield before feeding Thierno Barry with a defense-splitting pass to make it 2-0 against Forest in the 79th.
West Ham took an early lead against Brighton when striker Jarrod Bowen latched onto Lucas Paquetá’s exquisite through ball from halfway and struck a low shot into the bottom corner.
Veteran forward Danny Welbeck equalized for Brighton from the penalty spot for his eighth goal of the season, and then hit the crossbar with a Panenka-style chipped penalty later in the first half.
Paquetá converted his spot kick with a staggered run-up in first-half injury time, but Joël Veltman equalized for Brighton in the 61st following a corner.
Defending champion Liverpool hosts Leeds on Thursday.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Manchester United's Joshua Zirkzee celebrates after he scored the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)
Chelsea's Joao Pedro, top, helps Wesley Fofana stand up after the English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Bournemouth in London, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal's Gabriel, left, celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus celebrates after scoring his side's fourth goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
Arsenal's Martin Zubimendi celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Aston Villa in London, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP photo/Alastair Grant)
