The New York Yankees needed a tremendous boost in their offense and outfield. Last year was nothing short of a tremendous shame. The NY side finished fourth in the American League East with an awful 82-80 record. It meant that they barely managed to maintain the streak of winning seasons. Moreover, the biggest concern was the long Injured List. When Aaron Judge sustained the toe injury that later turned into a severe torn ligament issue, the Bronx Bombers had no backup for their captain. As a result, the Yankees could not find an answer to who could fill the void of the American League 2022 MVP. For almost a couple of months, the NY side missed their captain.
And it was enough for the Pinstripes to miss out on the opportunity to make the postseason. Moreover, the front office realized it was high time to make some significant changes. Later, the Yankees added the best hitter in baseball, Juan Soto, to pair up with Aaron Judge. Prior to closing that deal, the arch-rivals of the NY side, the Boston Red Sox, traded Alex Verdugo to them. It was a huge boost for their offense and outfield. Anyway, it seems that Verdugo has been feeling pretty good in the Bronx. Lately, he took up the responsibility of paying for the haircuts of the minor league Yankees players.
Why Alex Verdugo Decided To Pay For The Haircuts Of The Minor League Players?
Recently, in an interview with The Athletic, Alex Verdugo mentioned some of the minor leaguers were saying the haircuts are expensive. Moreover, Alex pointed out the high-priced haircuts at the team facility. He said the team’s barber, David Castillo, charges $100 for every haircut at a flat rate. Castillo has many famous clients outside the MLB, such as the Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. Anyway, Alex Verdugo asked the bench coach, Brad Ausmus, to let every player with less than two years of service time know that the “Haircuts are on me.”
Moreover, Verdugo told The Athletic that everybody made him feel like a part of the team ever since the day he joined. It has been a pretty simple transition for Verdugo. But he said he did not take up the responsibility to win over the whole team. He just wanted to help the minor leaguers. Verdugo mentioned that he liked talking to them. He said, “They are good guys.” But when he heard some of them talking about the expensive haircuts, Verdugo said, “F*** It. I will pay.” It is because the new outfielder of the Yankees believes “Little gestures like that go a long way.”
Yankees Look Solid In The Outfield
Clearly, the additions of Juan Soto, Trent Grisham, and Alex Verdugo made the outfield of the NY side one of the best in the league. As per MLB.com, the Yankees outfield became the most improved outfield in terms of WAR in the offseason. Now, Soto, Verdugo, and Grisham joined Aaron Judge in the outfield.
If these superstar guys stay healthy throughout the year, then it will be very difficult for the opponents to contend with the Yankees offense. Finally, it always comes down to health and injuries. Last year was a wake-up call for the 27-time champions. Moreover, the NY side is dealing with injuries to Judge and Gerrit Cole this spring training.
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