These Four Plays Could Cement Alex Verdugo’s Gold Glove Case

Red Sox right fielder Alex Verdugo is Boston’s lone nominee in the 2023 Major League Baseball Gold Glove Award finalists list, having a legitimate shot at taking home some post-regular season hardware.

Emphasis on legitimate.

Verdugo made his latest and greatest leap in the outfield, holding down the fort in Fenway Park’s trick right field ground. In various instances, Verdugo made it much easier than meets the eye. He reached his peak in terms of defensive reliability, giving the Red Sox everything they needed, hence, earning a shot at notching his first career Gold Glove Award.

These four plays should help make Verdugo’s case:

4. Verdugo robs old friend Xander Bogaerts of extra bases (May 19)
While the Red Sox led the Padres 6-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning in San Diego, Verdugo flexed his defensive range by keeping Bogaerts from at least a double off Boston’s James Paxton.

Bogaerts took Paxton’s curveball to opposite field, creeping toward the foul line, but Verdugo secured it by reaching arm slide and diving to make a tremendous catch. This also came at Bogaerts’ first game facing the Red Sox since departing Boston and joining the Padres during the offseason.

At the time, Bogaerts was coming off a strong 33-hit start through his first 29 games with San Diego.

3. Verdugo’s sliding catch, double play vs. Kansas City Royals (Aug. 10)
During yet another Paxton start, Verdugo killed two birds with one stone, doubling off the Kansas City Royals during their only trip to Fenway Park.

In the second inning, Royals outfielder Edward Olivares broke open the score, but then Verdugo kept KC scoreless. Verdugo charged in, making a slick sliding grab at the warning track deep into the corner, and followed that up by effortlessly nailing out MJ Melendez at first base to end the inning.

Doesn’t get any more efficient than that, right?

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2. Verdugo’s home run robbery vs. Tampa Bay Rays (June 5)
Francisco Mejía’s home run count should be at least one higher than where he finished this season (five), and the Tampa Bay Rays catcher has Verdugo to thank for that.

While visiting the Red Sox in June, Mejía nearly took Boston’s Brayan Bello deep, just a few feet beyond the Pesky Pole at Fenway Park. And just an inning removed from Kiké Hernández’s home run robbery in center field, Verdugo followed the lock-down defensive effort and robbed Mejía in the second inning.

Verdugo reached over the wall, feet up off the ground and all, to keep the Rays off the scoreboard.

1. Verdugo prevents tying run vs. Toronto Blue Jays to secure win (July 1)
This might not be the most jaw-dropping highlight of Verdugo’s 2023 reel, however, it was the most clutch of the bunch.

The Toronto Blue Jays threatened to send Boston into extra innings, but in just a single nail-bitting play, Verdugo pushed the Red Sox to the finish line — and also prevented closer Kenley Jansen from recording a blown save.

With runners at second and third base, and Boston leading 7-5 in the bottom of the ninth, Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went opposite field, giving the Blue Jays a chance to plate both runners and tie the game. After George Springer scored, Blue Jays teammate Bo Bichette trailed a few feet behind, awaited by Verdugo’s hurl to home plate which both ended the game and secured a Red Sox victory.

Thrilling and clutch. Just about everything you need from an outfielder’s web gem.

The Gold Glove winners will be announced on Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.