This offseason, the New York Yankees created waves when they acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo in a deal with the Red Sox. In an effort to strengthen the Yankees’ batting order, the new outfielder hopes for a fresh start in New York.
But does Verdugo come with questions about his character? Former Red Sox pitcher Jonathan Papelbon believes that Verdugo is the precise kind of guy that a team should steer clear of.
Alex Verdugo is criticized by Jonathan Papelbon for his work ethic.
Verdugo has stated that he is seeking a “fresh start” in New York after dealing with some drama in Boston following his trade away from the Red Sox. When Verdugo first arrived in the Bronx, he made fun of Boston’s manager, and it appeared that the city of Boston heard what he had to say.
Jonathan Papelbon, a former Red Sox pitcher, gave Verdugo a hard time and criticized his work ethic:
“One thing is for sure, I don’t want him on my team.” “I don’t want someone who truly plays for himself, who doesn’t care, and who arrives late every day. … Is that feasible in New York? Yes, that is feasible.
By his conduct, Papelbon asserted, Verdugo “more or less rode himself out of town.” Verdugo’s repeated tardiness, according to Papelbon, annoyed both him and the Red Sox players.
“Hey, man, I’m doing pregame. I did 30 games with NESN last year.” And this guy would arrive at the field at the same moment that I did,” Papelbon remarked. “In a Dodge Charger, accelerate the engine and tell everyone that you are in the park. Observe me. Do you understand what I mean? You’re running behind schedule. Nobody wants to play with those players. They are unpopular to play with.
This is not the first time Papelbon has attacked Verdugo in public. In December, he resorted to social media to lash out at Verdugo after becoming displeased with the outfielder’s remarks regarding his time in Boston.
Is Verdugo something the Yankees should be worried about?
The Yankees should still be optimistic about their acquisition of Verdugo in spite of Papelbon’s remarks. In 142 games played last season, the 27-year-old left-handed batter amassed 13 home runs and 54 RBIs. Although he might not be around for too long, he will provide the Yankees’ offense some more strength in the upcoming campaign.
Verdugo, who is in his last year of arbitration before becoming a free agent in 2025, will undoubtedly want a high salary in the upcoming offseason. The Yankees may decide not to pursue Verdugo further and instead give priority to extending the deal of Juan Soto.
For the time being, the Yankees will hope that Verdugo’s enthusiasm about being in New York stays high and that Papelbon’s assessment of the outfielder doesn’t change in the coming year.
Pap is basically the same personality as verdugo which probably partially why he doesn’t like dugie. Both are Talented at the game but immature and attention starved. I would steer clear of both if I was in a position to put a team together. This takes nothing away from Pap’s talent or Dugie’s.