The New York Yankees had signed Alex Verdugo only as a backup for Juan Soto. Later, SNY reported that the Yankees are chalking out how their outfield would look now. They pushed Aaron Judge to the center. In the process, the NY side might plan to play Alex Verdugo in the left and Juan Soto in the right field. It is better because Soto is not effective in the left field. However, it seems like the Yankees may not be too happy with Verdugo in their team.
First of all, they had to ask their arch-rivals, the Boston Red Sox, for help, and they got Verdugo. Moreover, the Yankees had to think about the long Injured List as well. However, if Jasson Dominguez recovers speedily and returns, then they might not need Alex Verdugo. Moreover, the Bronx Bombers are at present sticking with .600 OPS along with RISP since last year. But there can be three options for the Yankees where they can trade Verdugo.
Teams That Needs Alex Verdugo More Than The Yankees
The San Francisco Giants have much better outfielders than Verdugo of the Bronx. Moreover, the Yankees might want to flip him even before he shows up. The outfielders of the Giants are far more appealing than Alex. However, the Giants are looking for some action. They kept a place open for Shohei Ohtani. But that’s looking highly improbable. Anyway, the Giants might ask Brian Cashman for Verdugo’s money as well as a pitching prospect like Luis Gil. They might use Michael Conforto’s cash to saddle the Yankees in a Verdugo swap.
Source: Alex Verdugo expected to stay with Yankees in near term, as opposed to being moved to San Diego in a Juan Soto trade that is gaining momentum.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 6, 2023
Stay tuned to @MLBNetwork for live coverage of Soto and the Yankees today. @MLB
On the other hand, the NY side can also try and trade Verdugo to the Los Angeles Angels. There is a high possibility that they won’t get back Ohtani. Hence, the Angels would need to add a slugger. They can have Alex Verdugo if both teams come to an agreement. Thirdly, the Yankees can flip Verdugo to the Seattle Mariners. Like the Giants, they also had a seat open for Shohei Ohtani. But even for them, that deal is looking too far-fetched. Hence, the Mariners can use an addition of a slugger to their roster. But the Yankees look pretty strong since Juan Soto joined the mix.
Bronx Bombers Were Desperate To Sign A Superstar Lefty Hitter
After all, they needed a lefty slugger desperately. They knew that Soto would be a tricky deal to seal. Hence, they were looking for plenty of second and third options. Moreover, the best option other than Soto was Cody Bellinger, who last played for the Chicago Cubs. Albeit, Bellinger was another superstar lefty slugger available in the free agency. He can’t be better than the 25-year-old future Hall of Famer. But the Padres made a hefty demand for trading Juan Soto.
Anyway, the Yankees had what the Padres needed. They had plenty of pitching options, some little too special like Michael King and Drew Thorpe. However, the Bronx Bombers traded them anyway. It was the need of the hour for the 27-time champions. Hence, they were successful enough in receiving Juan Soto and Trent Grisham.
