As Verdugo fits in with Yanks, he starts with the cap
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NEW YORK -- Alex Verdugo used the phrase “fresh start” four times to describe his upcoming opportunity with the Yankees, proudly showcasing the navy cap with the interlocking “NY” he has been wearing daily since he was acquired in a Dec. 5 trade.
It took him a minute to get there, though.
“The genuine reaction was mad; I was hot,” Verdugo said of the swap, in which he was acquired from the Red Sox in exchange for pitchers Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice. “I was just like, ‘Man, they really sent me to the rivals? The Yankees?’”
Verdugo said it took him about a day to cool off, during which he reflected on a disappointing 2023 season in terms of his statistics and Boston’s last-place finish in the American League East. By the time Verdugo received welcoming messages from new teammates Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo, he was ready to begin the next chapter.
“It just got me excited, man,” Verdugo said. “I shaved right away just so I could feel like I’m in it. I work out every day in the Yankees hat; I’ve got it right here, just to see how it looks on me and how it feels. A fresh start feels good.”
Verdugo said that his mother, Shelly, is among those who “loves” his clean-cut look: “My mom thinks I look like her little boy again,” he said. “She says I look like I’m back in high school.”
The 27-year-old added that he wants to correct some of the narratives that have followed him from Boston, obliquely referencing the discipline levied upon him last season by Boston manager Alex Cora. Verdugo was benched twice -- on June 8 for a lack of hustle on the basepaths and on Aug. 5 for reporting late to a home game.
“I want to prove a lot of these, ‘he said, she said’ things wrong,” Verdugo said. “We’re all people, man. We’re all humans. Yeah, we make mistakes, but how do we learn from it and how do we bounce back from it? How much stronger do we get from that?”
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone has spoken with Cora, a close friend dating back to their ESPN days, and has no concerns about how Verdugo will fit in the clubhouse. Boone’s focus is more set on helping Verdugo reach the expectations that accompanied him to Boston as part of the Mookie Betts trade with the Dodgers.
“I think there’s more in there,” Boone said on Thursday. “I don’t necessarily think he’s reached his potential. So, hopefully, this environment for him and entering the last year before free agency, there’s a lot of carrots out there. We just want to get him settled, get him comfortable.”
Last season, Verdugo batted .264 with 13 homers, 54 RBIs and a .745 OPS. A Gold Glove finalist, Verdugo is expected to patrol left field this coming season, with Judge in center field and Juan Soto in right field.
Verdugo looks forward to being part of that powerhouse outfield, and agrees with Boone that there is more in the tank.
“I’m excited to be out there with Judge and Soto,” Verdugo said. “They’ll handle the power side of it. I want to handle getting on base for them, saving runs and helping any way that I can out there.”
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Over the past several seasons, Verdugo has had an interesting relationship with fans when visiting Yankee Stadium, including a July 2021 incident in which he was struck in the back by a baseball thrown from the left-field stands. Verdugo said that he believes Yankees fans will warm to him once they see him in pinstripes.
"It's part of that rivalry," he said. "The mindset in New York, how people talk -- they're a little bit more aggressive, and they're kind of straight to the point. I like that, man. I enjoy it. And I think when they see me play every day and they see me bust my butt and work hard, I think they'll like what they see."