How Alex Verdugo Felt About Trade From Red Sox To Yankees

Following a disappointing 2023 season and second-straight last-place finish in the American League East, Alex Verdugo did not expect to be traded from the Boston Red Sox this offseason — especially not to the New York Yankees.

Boston and New York pulled off a rare swap, putting a now-clean shaved Verdugo in Yankee pinstripes following a four-year Red Sox tenure. And when the news hit Verdugo’s radar, the 27-year-old was stunned.

“The genuine reaction was, you know, mad. I was hot,” Verdugo told YES Network on Thursday. “I was like, ‘Man, they really sent me to the rivals? The Yankees? After about a day, I just started sitting back, starting thinking, started reminiscing about how this year went with the Red Sox, kinda everything that was going on. And then I started thinking, having guys reaching out — (Aaron) Judge, (Giancarlo) Stanton, Gerrit (Cole), (Anthony) Rizzo — these guys starting reaching out and welcoming me to the team. It just then got me excited.”

"I'm excited for this new fresh start."

Alex Verdugo admits he was "mad" at first after being traded from one rival to another, but he's fully embracing life as a Yankee: "I work out every day in a Yankees hat." pic.twitter.com/RBlawI9Tt2

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) December 21, 2023

The Yankees failed miserably in 2023, recording one of the organization’s worst offensive performances — ranking 29th in Major League Baseball in batting average (.227) — only better than the 112-loss Oakland Athletics.

However, New York wasted no time getting busy as the early offseason winners. The front office followed up the Verdugo acquisition by adding three-time All-Star outfielder Juan Soto the very next day. Those additions left Yankees manager Aaron Boone with plenty of outfield depth ahead of 2024.

Verdugo walks away from Boston having struggled to click in the batter’s box. Albeit, reliable with the glove in Fenway Park’s challenging right field corner, Verdugo still never hit over 13 home runs with the Red Sox — which is his career-high — nor were there any promising signs of a breakout looming.

Now, in a power-filled lineup and with a clean slate, Verdugo has yet another chance to redefine himself as a big league hitter.