The New York Yankees have made a surprising move in their search for a left fielder. Instead of pursuing San Diego Padres slugger Juan Soto, the Bronx Bombers swung a trade with their rival Boston Red Sox for right fielder Alex Verdugo. The trade sent Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice to Boston.
The move comes as a surprise to many, considering the Yankees’ need for a left fielder. However, it seems that the team saw something they liked in Verdugo and decided to make a deal. Verdugo, who arrived in Boston as part of the Mookie Betts trade, is a career .281 hitter with a .337 on-base percentage and a .428 slugging percentage. Last season, the 27-year-old outfielder batted .264 with 13 home runs and 54 RBI.
While the trade may not address the Yankees’ need for a left fielder, it does add depth to their outfield and gives them a talented player in Verdugo. The lefty swinging outfielder is set to become a free agent after the 2024 season, so the Yankees will have some time to evaluate his performance and decide if they want to pursue a long-term deal.
In return for Verdugo, the Red Sox received three promising players. Fitts, a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher, had an impressive season at Double-A, striking out 163 batters and walking 43 over 152.2 innings. Judice, a 22-year-old pitcher, was drafted in the eighth round of this year’s draft. Weissert, a 28-year-old pitcher, made his debut with the Yankees in 2022 but has only appeared in 29 games at the major league level.
While the trade with the Red Sox may not be the big move that some Yankees fans were hoping for, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the team is done making moves. According to reports, the Yankees could still pursue Juan Soto or free agent Cody Bellinger. The team is clearly looking to strengthen their outfield and add more offensive firepower to their lineup.
Only time will tell if the trade for Alex Verdugo will pay off for the Yankees. In the meantime, fans will be eagerly watching to see if the team makes any more moves to improve their roster and compete for a championship in the upcoming season.
