Alex Verdugo Sets Record Straight About Red Sox Extension Report

Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo clearly isn’t letting the pressure of an all-important season get to him.

A report surfaced Monday claiming Verdugo approached team ownership in Fort Myers, Fla. and made his desire for a contract extension clear. Members of Boston’s brass were in town for the club’s first full-team workout of spring training, which was held a little over a month after Verdugo and the Red Sox avoided arbitration with a one-year contract. The 26-year-old only has one arbitration year left before he’s scheduled to hit free agency in 2025.

Speaking with the media Wednesday, Verdugo cleared the air about the extension report.

“It was all joking. If they want to, they want to,” Verdugo told reporters, per MassLive. “That’s just something I do with them. A lot of people are scared of the ownership. I like to keep it light, keep it fun and mess around with them. That’s really it.”

Should Verdugo produce at a high level in 2023, the Red Sox probably will want to keep him with the franchise long-term. And big things might be coming for the veteran outfielder, who had a fire lit under him by manager Alex Cora at the end of last season.

The early returns appear to be good for Cora and company, as Boston was “very pleased” with how Verdugo reported to camp, especially from a physical standpoint.