The 2024 MLB season ended with Alex Verdougo attacking Walker Buhler last October to beat the Yankees in the Dodgers' World Series.
Five months later, a week away from the league's first day, the MLB team wants nothing to do with Verdugo.
The Yankees flop has yet to receive major league offers following a terrible, lonely season in the Bronx. According to Athletics.
“I'm surprised,” MVP Judge Aaron told the outlet. “He's a really great player. He brings so much value and versatility to the team.”
It may seem surprising that 28-year-old Verdugo has not yet received the guaranteed money offer, but there are several factors at work against him.
The biggest one is, well, his poor play.
Verdugo posted his career-worst .647 OPS last year on Yankees, tallying 83 OPS+, 17 points below the league average.
After four seasons with the Red Sox, after getting off to a promising start with a 3-on-5 show in his first game at Fenway Park on June 14, Verdugo cut just .205/.266/.287 with the remaining .554 OPS of the season.
He tallied four Homer and 20 RBIs in the final 80 games.
The Yankees, perhaps stubbornly — continued to start Verdugo despite limited results, even giving him a 48 postseason at-bat, where he hit a .208.
Verdougo played well on the left field for the Yankees. This is noteworthy as it is difficult to humanize the spacious parts of Yankee Stadium.
Verdugo made $8.7 million last season, and there may be a contradiction between how the team views him and how he feels he should be compensated.
It is possible that minor league offers that do not include the veteran minimum amount may have been discussed, but that could represent a massive pay cut.
Also, Verdugo may be looking for a regular role after playing almost every game over the past five years.
There is also a prominent tendency that the Dodgers' top MLB franchises, the Red Sox and now the Yankees have moved out of him, with the first two not sending him elsewhere.
Verdougo clashes with Boston's Alex Kora on his way out, and Kora is considered one of the better managers of the sport.
After the Dodgers played both Tokyo Series games from the Cubs this week, there are still eight days of MLB opening day in the state, and injuries and other roster issues could change things, but for now, Verdugo is waiting to see if anything changes.
Yankee Anthony Rizzo in 2024 is not yet on the roster, but it's easy to understand why in that case, due to his age (35), his decline in his history of play and injury in recent years.
