MLB
Aaron Judge admits pressurizing the Yankees to sign Alex Verdugo
Alex Verdugo played for the Dodgers and Red Sox before his switch to the Yankees at the end of last year. He also represented Mexico in the last World Baseball Classic.
The New York Yankees were one of the busiest teams during the last offseason, spending much of it tweaking their roster with a host of transactions. Among the recruits was Alex Verdugo, who joined in December 2023 in a deal involving three other players. The Mexican’s arrival caused a stir at the time because he was traded by the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees’ archenemies.
Judge impressed by Verdugo
According to MLB.com insider Bryan Hoch, Verdugo knew that Yankees captain Aaron Judge had put pressure on management to sign him for the New York team.
“Anthony Rizzo was giving me hints at first base during the year (about signing with the Yankees). I was just like, ‘No, there’s no way, man, there’s no way. ’ As soon as I got here, Rizzo was like, ‘I told you so! ’”, Verdugo confessed, his words verified by Hoch.
Alex Verdugo, who came to the Yankees in exchange for three prospects (Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice), with the Red Sox had a batting average of .264, an on-base percentage of .324 and a slugging percentage of .421; he hit 13 home runs and drove in 54 runs.
According to insiders, Aaron Judge, pressured general manager Brian Cashman for years to go for the Mexican: “I love Verdugo. I had been pushing for years to acquire him. He is a competitor. He works hard and it is exciting to have him with us”, Judge himself admitted.
The New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers go head-to-head for the World Series - the first time they have contested the title in over 40 years. The Dodgers prevailed in the last meeting, winning the 1981 series 4-2.
Game 1 of this year’s World Series takes place this evening Friday October 25 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California with the first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET / 8:08 p.m. PT.
Viewers in the US will be able to watch the 2024 World Series live on FOX. If you don’t have cable, you can stream FOX’s coverage on the online platform fubo, which offers new users a free introductory trial.