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MLB

Yankees acquire outfielder Alex Verdugo in trade with Red Sox

By
Greg Joyce
Published Dec. 5, 2023
Updated Dec. 5, 2023, 9:50 p.m. ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Yankees have a new outfielder, but he comes from the Red Sox instead of the Padres.

Brian Cashman swung a trade on Tuesday night, acquiring Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox in exchange for reliever Greg Weissert and minor league pitchers Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice, the teams announced.

While the Yankees had been in talks with the Padres for superstar outfielder Juan Soto — and were still continuing that pursuit even after this deal — Verdugo fills one of their open outfield spots and adds a left-handed bat to the lineup.

Verdugo, 27, is entering a contract year after batting .264 with a .745 OPS in 142 games last season.

He is projected to make $9.2 million next season in the final year of arbitration, per MLB Trade Rumors.

Exactly where Verdugo fits in the Yankees’ plans remains to be seen.

He spent the last two seasons as strictly a corner outfielder and was a Gold Glove finalist this year after patrolling Fenway Park’s spacious right field.

Sep 12, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Alex Verdugo (99) hits a singles during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees
The Yankees have added outfielder Alex Verdugo. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

He does have experience in center field, but has recorded minus-four Defensive Runs Saved there across 893 ¹/₃ innings, per FanGraphs.

If the Yankees are able to land Soto, another corner outfielder, they could shift Aaron Judge from right field to center, though they have been hesitant to do that on a consistent basis to help preserve him physically.

For now, Verdugo offers the Yankees a high-average bat.

The 27-year-old has hit .281 with a 105 OPS-plus in parts of seven seasons in the majors.

He comes with some concerns, though, as the Red Sox benched Verdugo twice this season — once for a lack of hustle and then for reportedly arriving to the park late before a game.

To get the former Dodger — Verdugo was the main trade chip sent to Boston in the Mookie Betts blockbuster — the Yankees dealt from their pitching depth.

Weissert, a Long Island native and Fordham product, showed flashes of his potential over parts of two seasons but could not throw strikes consistently enough to stick in the majors.

Fitts, 23, was coming off a strong year at Double-A Somerset, where he posted a 3.48 ERA across 152 ²/₃ innings on the way to Eastern League Pitcher of the Year honors.

The Yankees selected Judice in the eighth round of this year’s draft.

Verdugo has some history at Yankee Stadium. In 2021, a fan threw a ball at Verdugo that struck him in the back while he was playing left field.