Jeff Passan, ESPN
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The New York Yankees got outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox in trade for a bundle of possibilities, assets instructed ESPN, with the Yankees turning to the 27-year-old to reinforce their offense in simply the 7th industry between the competitors within the utmost half-century.
The Purple Sox are receiving right-handers Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice within the trade in.
Verdugo spent the utmost 4 seasons in Boston upcoming becoming a member of the Purple Sox as the primary go back within the industry that despatched superstar outfielder Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Verdugo, who’s scheduled to construct round $9 million in his ultimate season of arbitration, collision .264/.324/.421 with 13 house runs and 54 RBIs in 142 video games this yr. With Verdugo primed to succeed in separate company upcoming the 2024 season, Boston put him at the industry marketplace and future a variety of groups inquired about his availability, the Yankees fix him to start out within the outfield.
Following a season wherein they completed twenty fifth in runs scored in Main League Baseball, the Yankees have wished to retool their offense this iciness. They’ve been desirous about industry talks with the San Diego Padres for superstar outfielder Juan Soto, assets instructed ESPN, and may just nonetheless pursue him as they input the season with restricted confirmed outfield choices past Verdugo, superstar Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, who’s likelier to fill Pristine York’s designated hitter function.
Others who can play games outfield on Pristine York’s 40-man roster come with possibilities Estevan Florial and Everson Pereira, utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera, fresh waiver pickup Oscar Gonzalez and centerfielder Jasson Dominguez, who is anticipated to pass over a good portion of the season upcoming present process Tommy John surgical operation.
Occasion Verdugo by no means blossomed into a celebrity in Boston, he used to be a constantly above-league-average hitter and batted .281/.338/.424 with 43 house runs and 206 RBIs in 493 video games with the Purple Sox, the place he spent many of the moment taking part in the nook outfield spots and dabbled in centerfield.
Pristine Purple Sox eminent baseball officer Craig Breslow dealt Verdugo from a crowded outfield that incorporates Masataka Yoshida, Jarren Duran, Rob Refsnyder and 2 newcomers this season, Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela. Boston’s absolute best probability, 19-year-old Roman Anthony, reached Double-A this yr and is discoverable as a possible superstar upcoming hitting .272/.403/.466 with 14 house runs and 64 RBIs throughout 3 ranges within the minor leagues this yr.
Fitts, 23, used to be a sixth-round pick out through the Yankees out of Auburn in 2021 who has thrived in two minor league seasons. At Double-A this season, the righty struck out 163 and walked 43 over 152.2 innings future permitting 22 house runs.
With a high-carry fastball that sits round 93 mph and reaches 97, plus a sweeper he makes use of liberally in addition to a cutter and changeup, Fitts initiatives as a back-of-the-rotation starter for a crew with restricted minor league starting-pitching intensity.
