Flipping Alex Verdugo? Yankees Reportedly Plan To Keep Ex-Red Sox

It sounds like Juan Soto could soon be joining the New York Yankees outfield … and Alex Verdugo reportedly will be waiting for him.

The Yankees acquired Verdugo from the Red Sox on Tuesday night in a rare trade between the two longtime rivals. Initial reports indicated the swap wouldn’t end separate talks between the Yankees and San Diego Padres regarding Soto, with some even wondering whether Verdugo would be flipped.

According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, however, the Yankees plan to keep Verdugo in the fold.

“There has been a question of whether the Yankees got Alex Verdugo with the idea of flipping him to the Padres as part of the Soto deal,” Olney said Wednesday on X. “In fact, sources say the Yankees’ intention is to keep Verdugo. He’ll be part of their outfield mix in 2024.”

YES Network reporter Jack Curry reported the Yankees intensified their efforts to land Soto, adding a deal now seems “likely” between the two clubs.

New York manager Aaron Boone told reporters at the MLB winter meetings that the plan is to play Verdugo in a corner-outfield spot. Verdugo mostly played right field for the Red Sox and did so quite well, at least in 2023, when he just missed winning an American League Gold Glove. Boone also said it’s “in play” that Aaron Judge could be the everyday center fielder, despite the fact he’s coming off a toe injury that derailed his 2023 campaign. Soto was the Padres’ primary left fielder, so it sure sounds like a Soto-Judge-Verdugo outfield left to right is the plan.