In a first mega off-season move, the New York Yankees traded outfielder/left-handed hitter Alex Verdugo from arch-nemesis Boston Red Sox in a rare player swap deal. Verdugo had spent four seasons in Boston, and things got a little testy this past year. Across 142 games, he hit .264 with 13 homers and .745 OPS.
Moreover, Alex Verdugo reportedly landed on the wrong side of Red Sox manager Alex Cora, as the latter benched him multiple times last season. Thus, when Verdugo jumped ships, he took an indirect dig at Cora while praising Yankees manager Aaron Boone. However, the outfielder’s sarcastic words triggered the former Red Sox legend to unleash a brutal social media rant to call out Verdugo’s unruly code of conduct.
Jonathan Papelbon Explains His Beef With Alex Verdugo In Fresh Rant!
Former Red Sox legend Jonathan Papelbon hit out at New York Yankees newly acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo after the latter took a sly dig at Red Sox manager Alex Cora. In his introductory press conference, Verdugo praised Yankee manager Aaron Boone for backing his players, unlike some other managers who ‘air people out.’ Verdugo’s dig at Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t sit well with Jonathan Papelbon, as he called the outfielder names on social media. “You aired yourself out by being late, lazy, and unproductive. If I played for Cora, I’m drilling this b**ch, just saying,” said Papelbon via X. Now, weeks later, the former player has explained his rant via another rant.
While appearing on the ‘Foul Territory’ podcast, Jonathan Papelbon said that he worked with the Red Sox last year for 30 games. Every time, Alex Verdugo would show up late and behave as if nothing had happened. However, unfortunately, Jonathan believes people in the Red Sox clubhouse lacked the guts to point out his unruly behavior to Verdugo. Moreover, the former legend firmly believes that it’s unideal for professional players to talk badly about their previous organization after joining a new force. “I got a little pissed about that,” added Papelbon. Amid the drama, Alex Verdugo is yet to react to Jonathan’s explicit rant. He is working this off-season to adjust to the new scenery and make an impact in pinstripes next season. It would be interesting to see how the matter takes shape in the next few weeks.
Alex Verdugo Reveals His Initial Reaction To Trade With Yankees!
Outfielder Alex Verdugo tickled a lot of nerves during his introductory press conference with the New York Yankees. Besides calling Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora out, Verdugo revealed that he was mad when the trade came through. He felt dumped by the Red Sox. But as soon as Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, and others got in touch, he felt at ease.
Alex Verdugo added that he has always admired the Yankees as a baseball player. In fact, he even flashed his Yankee cap and revealed how he still uses the cap during practice. Moreover, the outfielder shared a message for the Yankee fans and promised to put his best foot forward now that he is on the other end of the rivalry.