Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo is an eight-year MLB veteran in the prime of his career. That’s why it’s a little surprising to hear he reportedly has zero major league offers as a free agent this year.
Verdugo, who played for the New York Yankees last season, remains a free agent even as teams are in the thick of their spring training camp. According to The Athletic the outfielder “hasn’t received a single major-league offer.”
It’s a puzzling development for Verdugo’s former teammates in New York, including two-time AL MVP Aaron Judge.
“I am surprised,” Judge said to The Athletic. “He’s such a great player. He brings so much value and versatility to a team.”
Verdugo is in a weird spot career-wise. He’s been terrific at points. In 2020, he hit .308 with a .844 OPS and received some MVP votes at the end of his first season in Boston.
However, Verdugo is coming off an off year with the Yankees in which he hit .233 with a .647 OPS. Verdugo’s career marks sit at a .272 batting average with a .742 OPS. However, his offensive numbers have steadily trended downward in recent seasons.
Even so, his old team is surprised at his lack of traction on the free-agent market.
“Maybe a little bit surprised because he’s without question a big-league player and a big-league starting player, for me,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It just probably hasn’t lined up money-wise and team-wise and need-wise, but he was great with us.”
Verdugo still has supporters in New York — but apparently not enough support to make the Yankees bring him back.
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