Former New York Yankees slugger Alex Verdugo had a difficult free agency, as spring training was well underway before he got a deal.
Verdugo played one season with the Yankees after a trade from the Boston Red Sox. Despite playing well for New York, he wasn’t offered an MLB contract for months. He ended up taking a $1.5 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, but he will begin his season in Triple-A.
According to MLB insider Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe, several teams had character concerns about Verdugo, which hampered his free agency.
“Alex Cora had it right in 2023 when he benched Verdugo after he reported late to a game despite previous warnings about tardiness,” Abraham wrote. “Verdugo’s off-field issues also concerned the Yankees, who made no effort to retain him.
“The character questions go back to Verdugo’s time as a minor leaguer with the Dodgers when he attended a gathering that led to a teammate being investigated for sexual assault,” Abraham added. “No charges were filed, but some teams have been wary of Verdugo since. The lack of interest in the offseason should be a wake-up call.”
Verdugo hit .233 with 13 home runs and 61 RBIs with the Yankees in 2024. In the playoffs, he hit .208 with 1 home run and 8 RBIs, but despite being an everyday player, it took months for him to get a contract.
Yankees Players Surprised Verdugo Was Unsigned for so Long
Verdugo played an important part for the Yankees in 2024, so some teammates were surprised his free agency was so dull.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge said Verdugo has so much versatility, so he was surprised he was unsigned for so long.
“I am surprised,” Judge said to The Athletic. “He’s such a great player. He brings so much value and versatility to a team.”
Yankees manager Aaron Boone, meanwhile, was also surprised as he says Verdugo is a big-league player.
“Maybe a little bit surprised because he’s without question a big-league player and a big-league starting player, for me,” Boone said. “It just probably hasn’t lined up money-wise and team-wise and need-wise, but he was great with us.”
Verdugo started every game in the World Series for the Yankees in 2024. But, New York opted to move on from him after acquiring Cody Bellinger. New York also plans to use rookie Jasson Dominguez in left field.
Yankees Motivated After World Series Loss
New York lost in the World Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and is using that as motivation entering the 2025 MLB season.
Boone says the Yankees have a chip on their shoulder and are committed to writing the wrongs.
“The level of focus, the level of commitment, it seems to be there,” Boone said. “But we’ve got to work at that every day. We’ve got to fight for that every day. That’s the thing; you hold each other accountable. We want you to walk in these doors every day with a hunger. That can be a difference-maker, especially in a long, tough season.”
The Yankees will open its 2025 MLB season on March 27 against the Milwaukee Brewers at home.
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