RIVAL ARRIVAL
Verdugo felt anger over Sox sending him to hated Yanks
Alex Verdugo wasn’t thrilled when he learned he’d been dealt from the Red Sox to the Yankees.
“The genuine reaction was mad,” Verdugo said Thursday. “I was hot, I was like, ‘Man, they really sent me to the rivals? The Yankees?’ ”
But following a rough season in Boston, when the team played poorly and Verdugo was benched by manager Alex Cora for reportedly arriving late to a home game, the outfielder said his attitude soon changed.
“After about a day just sitting back, I started thinking and reminiscing [about] how this year went with the Red Sox and then having [Aaron] Judge, [Giancarlo] Stanton, Gerrit [Cole] and [Anthony] Rizzo reach out, welcoming me to the team, it got me excited.”
Verdugo will be part of a remodeled Yankees outfield — with Judge in center and another new arrival, Juan Soto, in one corner and Verdugo in the other.
Verdugo brings a lefthanded bat to Yankee Stadium, like Soto, and what the 27-year-old feels is a style made for New York.
“The mindset in New York, how people talk a little bit more aggressively, they’re straight to the point,” Verdugo said. “I like that. I enjoy it. I think when they see me play every day, see me bust my butt and work hard, I think they’ll like what they see.”
There were reports that Verdugo wore out his welcome with Boston and Cora, who benched the outfielder when he reportedly arrived late for a home game after previous issues with not hustling.
Verdugo said the experience “toughens me up. It makes me realize some things.”
He added some veteran players reached out and helped him through the situation, and Verdugo believes it was partially a product of a bad season overall in Boston.
“For me, those bumps in the road, I’m not 100 percent sure what it was,” Verdugo said. “It could also be you’re struggling on a baseball team [and] there were a lot of expectations. And when you’re not really meeting them, you start bumping heads a little bit.”
He doesn’t expect any issues with Aaron Boone in The Bronx.
“I’ve seen the way he has his players’ backs,’’ Verdugo said. “You want to see some fire. Instead of airing people out, have their backs. I’m excited for a fresh start and to just change the narrative.”
Verdugo was so enthusiastic for his fresh start he said he shaved the beard he’s had since high school shortly after the deal.
“I work out every day in a Yankees hat to see how it looks on me,’’ Verdugo said. “It feels good. I want to go to this organization and work hard. I want to prove the ‘he said, she said’ things wrong. We all make mistakes. It’s about, ‘How do we learn from them?’ ”
Verdugo also expects to learn from playing alongside Judge and Soto.
“They’ll obviously handle the power side of it, and I want to handle getting on base for them, saving runs and helping any way I can,’’ said Verdugo, who will have to give up the No. 99 he’s worn since he joined the Red Sox in 2020.
Verdugo has been solid offensively since becoming a full-time player in 2020, but hasn’t reached the expectations many had for him when he was part of the package the Red Sox acquired from the Dodgers in exchange for Mookie Betts.
Boone, though, is confident that can still happen.
“I think there’s more in there,’’ said Boone, who partnered with the 44th Precinct and the Food Bank for New York City for a second straight year to support a food and toy distribution pop-up in The Bronx on Thursday. “I don’t necessarily think he’s reached his potential. Hopefully this environment [is good] for him, and entering his last year before free agency, there are a lot of carrots out there.”
The Yankees, who also acquired Trent Grisham from San Diego in the trade for Soto, added more outfield depth Thursday, when they signed Luis Gonzalez to a minor league deal, according to The Athletic. Gonzalez, 28, played 98 games with the Giants last season and saw time in all three outfield spots, but he missed time with back injuries. He’s spent parts of the past three years in the majors.
Right-hander Nick Burdi also signed a minor league deal with the Yankees. The 30-year-old Burdi has appeared in 19 games over parts of four seasons, including three games with the Cubs last year. His signing was first reported by the YES Network.