MLB Rumors: Alex Verdugo’s ‘Off-Field Issues’ Concerned Teams
Free agency was a humbling experience for former Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo this offseason.
Verdugo, a member of the New York Yankees last season, fell short in his pursuit of a breakout before hitting the open market. The 28-year-old hit .233 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs, claimed a tattoo allergy was the root cause of his offensive slump in August and became the final out — a strikeout — to help the Los Angeles Dodgers capture their eighth World Series championship at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees, along with nearly the entirety of big league clubs, weren’t interested in Verdugo’s services as the left-handed hitter’s value hit an all-time low. It’s easy to attribute Verdugo’s subpar production solely as the reason for the desert-dry traction this offseason offered, however, there’s more to it.
“(Red Sox manager) Alex Cora had it right in 2023 when he benched Verdugo after he reported late to a game despite previous warnings about tardiness,” The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham wrote Saturday. “Verdugo’s off-field issues also concerned the Yankees, who made no effort to retain him.”
Verdugo’s troubling behavioral conduct dates back to when he was one of baseball’s top prospects in the Dodgers farm system. He’s since left a trail riddled with issues that all fall under the umbrella of immaturity, stunting both Verdugo’s growth as a player and the organization’s from entrusting him. Boston lost its patience two offseasons ago and traded Verdugo to the Bronx in exchange for pitching prospects Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice. Verdugo had no leeway with the Yankees, undergoing a breakout or get-out campaign that unfolded in a very predictable fashion.
The Kansas City Royals and Pittsburgh Pirates were two clubs linked to Verdugo, and neither reportedly had any long-term interest. Pittsburgh even signed Tommy Pham, Verdugo’s old Red Sox teammate, to fill an outfielder role instead.
New York, although not interested in retaining Verdugo, expressed a sympathetic feeling before he signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Atlanta Braves.
“I think he can really hit,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, per The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. “That hasn’t changed. But he went into some struggles there in the middle of the season, but also I think there was some unluckiness there, too, where he had days where he was squaring the ball up a lot. I think he put together a lot of at-bats in the postseason for us and obviously was terrific in our left field. I think there’s more upside in there offensively, too.”
Verdugo managed to finish as a finalist for an American League Gold Glove Award — behind Colton Cowser of the Baltimore Orioles and Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians. But even Verdugo’s six defensive runs saved and seven outfield assists — the only silver lining to his 2024 campaign — weren’t been enough to repair his damaged reputation.
Nevertheless, Verdugo has yet another chance — again.