Alex Verdugo has some fond memories of his tenure with the Red Sox, but the newly acquired Yankee still feels like his former team didn’t go all-in on winning during his four years in a Boston uniform.
"I thought they were in a rebuilding process,"
Verdugo said during his Yankees’ introductory press conference Thursday.
Verdugo was the key piece in the Mookie Betts trade, and the Sox missed the playoffs in three of his four seasons while also finishing in last place in the American League East in those three years.
"I think ‘21 was the exception,"
Verdugo said. And I felt like in ‘22 and ‘23, both years we were at that fringe where we needed a couple of key pieces, and we never went for it. Then ‘21, great year with fans.
Just going to the playoffs, like, that was Boston baseball that I remember.Verdugo’s time with the Red Sox brought mixed results. He was solid on the field as pretty much a league-average player, batting .281/.338/.424 with a .761 OPS and 43 homers in four years.
Verdugo was benched twice this year by manager Alex Cora: once in June for not hustling out a grounder against the Guardians and again in August for showing up late to Fenway prior to a contest with the Blue Jays.
"I think for me, it just toughens me up,"
said Verdugo on what he learned from those moments.
“I think the biggest thing is I had several players and kind of veteran figures reach out to me and help me through some stuff."
"We needed a couple key pieces and we never went for it. It was definitely frustrating… You don't see Fenway empty like that too much."
Alex Verdugo reflects on his last two seasons in Boston pic.twitter.com/Wh1lIXBq2A
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) December 21, 2023
At the end of it, Verdugo intimated that he didn’t like how those instances were handled, believing they should have stayed in-house. When asked how excited he is to play for Yankees manager Aaron Boone, Verdugo referenced Boone’s ejection in ‘19 when the manager screamed at the home plate umpire, "My guys are savages in the box."
"He’s yelling at the umpire, and I mean that’s something I want to see out of my [manager], man,"
stated Verdugo.
"I want to see some fires and fight for the guys. I think just instead of airing people out, have their backs, and I’m really excited for this fresh start"
Verdugo immediately shaved, he said, just so he could get used to what a clean face looks like given the Yankees’ no-beard policy. He’s also been working out in a Yankee hat, saying that he needs to get used to that look, too.
"I just want to go to this organization, and I’m just wanting to work hard,"
said Verdugo. I want to show them that, we’re all people, man.
The Red Sox may very well think the three pitchers they acquired in Tuesday night’s shocking trade with the Yankees may have significant upside in 2024 and beyond. But make no mistake about it — this trade was all about putting the end to a fractured relationship between team and player.
At times, their best offensive player. A player who needed to get his act together. A player who did get his act together. Ultimately, though, the polarizing Verdugo was just someone who needed to go.
Cora was so excited to challenge Verdugo at the end of the 2022 season that a question about the looming offseason wasn’t even out of a reporter’s mouth before the manager started issuing a not-so-subtle ultimatum to his right fielder.
Quietly throughout that year, tensions bubbled behind the scenes as others with the Red Sox took issue with Verdugo’s unorthodox pregame routines and questionable commitment. Then came a summer that sealed the end of his time in Boston.
First came a June incident in which Verdugo was benched mid-game for not hustling, then held out of the lineup the next day while Cora — perhaps for the first time in six seasons as manager — copped to the decision and made sure everyone knew what had happened.
July was brutal for Verdugo, who hit just .151 while some around the game questioned if he had checked out. All the while, the Red Sox were aggressively shopping him to teams, including the Yankees, but not getting much in the way of pre-deadline offers.
By early August was another benching, this time after Verdugo arrived late to Fenway Park for an afternoon game, and that served as the final straw.
Ultimately, it became clear to everyone that Verdugo wasn’t someone the Red Sox wanted to sign to an extension despite his bold, partly sarcastic spring training proclamation that they should.
The answer to that question, along with the emergence of a handful of talented young outfielders, made the decision an easy one for the Red Sox.
What pushed it over the edge might have been that Breslow, unlike his predecessor, Chaim Bloom, felt no attachment to Verdugo as a piece of the Betts trade (and a legacy).
Verdugo’s time in Boston ends with a "What-If?" postscript. Now, that’s the Yankees’ problem to solve.
Fans had this to say:
I have a good feeling about him
— Megs 🪩🤠 (@MegzMurr) December 21, 2023
The facial hair rule has GOT to go, what am I looking at right now?
— Bryse (@brsnhrdn) December 21, 2023
Funny HE was supposed to be one of the key pieces but decided to be lazy and continued to underperform every year. Never could take the next step enjoy being a platoon OF. Goodbye and good riddance 🫡
— Cam Thibeault (@cam_thibeault10) December 21, 2023
I’d be frustrated too if I had to watch Nick Pivetta pitch every fifth day
— Barreldelphia Media (@barreldelphia) December 21, 2023
The 2021 postseason chuckle was unnecessarily but I get it.
— Nick Capone (@nickcaponee) December 21, 2023
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