WASHINGTON — It's been a rough two months for Alex Verdugo, but Monday served as a reminder of what kind of player the Yankees believe he can become and how they need him to perform late if he's to remain the starting left fielder.
The highlight was a sacrificial crash into a wall after making a great catch on the warning track, but he recovered enough to return to the lineup on Tuesday.
Verdugo added three hits in the series opener against the Nationals, all against left-handed pitchers, including two hits against the left, showcasing his excellent hitting technique.
It was Verdugo's second consecutive multi-hit game, his first since July 6, coming on the heels of a home run he hit on Saturday.
The question now is whether they can harness that momentum and really get back on track in the final month of the season as we enter October.
“He could be a very impactful player for us,” manager Aaron Boone said Tuesday before a 4-2 loss to the Nationals. “No matter who you are, rookie or veteran, you go through hard times, you go through tough times, you get worn down. [on you]It's really hard. That's why he's been struggling to get through it for months.
“To get some traction, especially all the effort that's gone into it, working so hard behind the scenes to try and unleash yourself, and then getting it off the ground to get results, it's good for the soul.”
The timing of Verdugo's potential turnaround is significant.
Rosters are set to be expanded on Sunday, and fans are clamoring for left fielder Jasson Dominguez to be promoted from Triple-A.
But general manager Brian Cashman recently said there's “no room” for Dominguez to play if the current outfield is healthy — the same thing the team has said since the top prospect recovered from Tommy John surgery and an oblique injury — and there's no indication the Yankees will let Verdugo go to give Dominguez a chance to be an everyday starter over the final month of the season.
To keep that up, Verdugo needs to produce results.
He was 1-for-4 on Tuesday, but a line drive fell into the gap for an out and a smooth double play prevented the Nationals from batting back in the bottom of the seventh. Since then, he's gone 7-for-15 with one home run and one walk in his last four games.
But in the 54 games between June 15 and Aug. 23 prior to that, Verdugo batted just .178 with a .500 OPS and one home run, striking out 41 times.
His OPS during that span was the worst among 161 eligible hitters and his batting average was the second-worst (behind Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes).
“I'm definitely feeling better,” Verdugo said. “My swing's definitely better and I'm able to pace myself a little bit more. I just try to keep going and not get too ahead of myself and worry about the damage. I'm just going to take what the pitcher gives me.”
Gleyber Torres has replaced Verdugo as the regular leadoff hitter and doesn't seem to plan on giving up his position anytime soon.
But Verdugo could still play a key role in lengthening the bottom half of the lineup, as he did on Monday in helping to eliminate solid turnovers.
Verdugo has some strong supporters in the clubhouse in Aaron Judge and Boone, who had been trying to bring him onto the team even before the team acquired him from the Red Sox last offseason.
Judge liked his competitive nature, which was evident in his run-to-the-wall moments on Monday night, and how he came up big in key situations that the Yankees would like to see more of as games become more important late in the game.
“Part of it is [is] “He's finally finding a hole,” Boone said. “I think Dugie's been a really unlucky guy all year. … I think he's getting some good, competitive at-bats, that's the biggest thing. But I'm really happy he's producing because we know how good a hitter he can be.”
