Verdugo approached Red Sox about long-term deal

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Alex Verdugo is betting on himself this season.

He knows what the Red Sox want from him, and he’s confident enough to let the Red Sox know what he wants in return:

A long-term deal. Monday was the first full day of spring training, and Verdugo approached Red Sox leadership and made it clear he wants to stay in Boston. According to multiple sources, Verdugo told the group, which included principal owner John Henry, that he’s prepared to prove he deserves a new contract.

Becoming an All-Star for the first time is one way he pledged himself to the brass. Adjusting his diet and training to drop weight and come to camp lean was another.

It’s a bold approach, though a source also noted that this is what makes Verdugo the kind of player who fits well in Boston. “Brave” was the word used to describe the interaction.

Especially for the player Alex Cora singled out last fall as the one who needs to take the biggest step forward this season, and in more ways than one.

Acquired in the Mookie Betts trade almost exactly three years ago, Verdugo impressed immediately, albeit in the shortened 60-game 2020 season. He hit .308/.367/ .478 over 53 games that first year, with 62 hits, including 16 doubles and six home runs.

Verdugo continued to perform well in his first full season in Boston, though he didn’t replicate his slugging percentage over the full 162-game slate. Playing a careerhigh 146 games in 2021 (previous high was 106 in 2019), he hit a solid .289/ .351/.426 with 157 hits, 32 doubles, two triples, and a career-high 13 home runs.

The Red Sox, projected to finish last in their division for the second consecutive season, not only made a surprise run to the Wild Card, but took their season all the way to the ALCS. Over the first 11 postseason games of his career, Verdugo hit .310/ .383/.452 with 13 hits, three doubles, a home run, five walks, and three strikeouts.

Then, like many of the 2022 Red Sox, he struggled at the plate. He didn’t exactly take a step back, but it wasn’t a step forward, either. He set a new a career-high 152 games — which also led the team — but hit .280/.328/.405, struggling to hit for power or draw walks. Though he improved his strikeout rate significantly, down to 13.4% from 15.9% the year before, he only drew 42 walks, after collecting 51 free passes in fewer games in 2021.

He was in the 27th percentile for walk rate, 39th for HardHit%, 31st for Barrel rate.

His defense was a different story. He ranked in the 13th percentile in Outs Above Average and was worth minus-4 defensive runs saved. His 26.8 feet/ second Sprint Speed put him in the 37th percentile, and he dropped to 360th in MLB, after ranking 300th the year before.

Verdugo will be a free agent in 2025. He and the team avoided arbitration this offseason, agreeing to a $6.3 million salary for the year. Still, the Red Sox made it clear that he’d taken a step backward last season.