The Mets, Astros, Blue Jays and Angels are among the teams that have tested the free agent outfielder. Alex Verdugo this offseason, MassLive’s Chris Cotillo reports. Robert Murray of FanSided reported earlier this week that the Pirates are also looking for the left-handed hitter.
Verdugo is looking to bounce back after a disappointing year in the Bronx. He hit just .233/.291/.356 over 621 plate appearances as a Yankee. A lot of good things happened in the first few weeks of the season. Verdugo hit .267/.358/.446 through the end of April. He slashed .225/.275/.336 in over 500 trips to the plate the rest of the way. He continued to struggle in the postseason, hitting .208/.303/.313 with one homer in 14 games.
It certainly wasn’t the perfect timing for a particularly bad year in Verdugo’s career. He was a regular player for a few seasons in Boston before that. Verdugo had a .281/.338/.424 slash in parts of four seasons as a member of the Red Sox. While he never developed into the All-Star caliber player some scouts expected, he was a solid regular.
Verdugo turns 29 in May. You’re probably getting a one-year pillow contract. You’ll probably be looking at a deal not far from $10MM for it Max Kepler acquired from the Phillies last month. That makes him an option for a low-wage team like the Pirates. He would be a good fit for any club looking for help from the left side.
That’s a special need for the Astros. General manager Dana Brown admitted they would like a left-handed hitter next Kyle Tucker trade. Houston doesn’t have an obvious answer in left field, while they rely on it Chas McCormick to jump back to the right place. Verdugo is one of the more specific targets. The Astros project to be several million dollars over the luxury tax threshold. It would be difficult to get back under the tax line unless they trade Ryan Pressly and limit their spending for the remainder of the season.
The Angels did it Taylor Ward as the expected starter in left field. His name has been floating around in trade speculation, though with no indication that the Halos are actively shopping him. Even if they keep the Ward, they can benefit from the development of Jo Adell/Mickey Moniak opposite corner pairing.
Toronto is likely to add an everyday outfielder in the coming weeks. They will probably take a bigger turn than Verdugo. Jay has been one of the best players Anthony Santanderwho reportedly did something to him. The Mets might be the toughest matchup. It makes sense that Verdugo will prioritize a team that can give him playing time every day. New York has Juan Soto again Brandon Nimmo in the outer corners, while Tyrone Taylor again Jose Siri are center field options. Star Marte stays in hand as a deep outfielder.
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