Yankees’ new outfield acquisition clears the air on beef with former manager

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox seldom engage in trades, but to everyone’s surprise, Alex Verdugo ended up joining the Yankees in a shocking move early in the offseason.

There were actual reports showing interest in the outfielder who bats left-handed, but the high demands of Gleyber Torres or Clarke Schmidt made it seem unlikely for the two teams to reach an agreement. Nevertheless, it wasn’t unexpected to see Verdugo leave Boston, as his relationship with Red Sox manager Alex Cora seemed to have soured to an unmanageable point.

In a recent media session, Alex Verdugo attempted to address the tension with Cora, and although his genuine emotions remain undisclosed, it appears that the issue will be temporarily resolved

Alex Verdugo moves on from previous experiences following his move to the Yankees

Alex Verdugo did not immediately forget about the past conflict with Alex Cora upon his trade to the Yankees, which garnered attention during his initial press conference with the team. Throughout the previous season, the two had disagreements, with Verdugo being benched for a lack of effort in a play in Cleveland and for arriving late to the ballpark before a game. These incidents did not bode well for their relationship.

The tension escalated when Cora pushed Verdugo to enhance his athleticism and defensive skills before the 2023 season. Though Verdugo initially showed promise with a strong start and potential All-Star consideration, his performance at the plate declined sharply and conflicts with Cora worsened. In his first press conference as a Yankee, Verdugo appeared to take a dig at Cora.

“I’m very, very excited to work with Aaron…I’ve seen the way he has his players’ backs. The one that really stands out to me is when he’s like ‘These guys are savages’ and he’s yelling at the umpire. I mean, that’s something I want to see out of my head coach, man. I want to see some fire, some fight for the guys. I think just instead of airing people out, have their backs.”

Alex Verdugo

Earlier today, he appeared to retract some of those remarks, expressing his fondness for Alex Cora outside of the game and noting that their children interacted. The upcoming matchups between the Red Sox and Yankees in the season ahead promise to be intriguing. Both teams are aiming to bounce back from underwhelming seasons, having ended near the bottom of the American League East. The genuineness of their reconciliation remains uncertain, but what is evident is the Yankees’ longstanding interest in Alex Verdugo

“It’s cool to know that some guys have been pushing for me to come over here, like the way I play & the flair that I bring.”

Alex Verdugo

Earlier this week, expressed his desire for the team to acquire Verdugo, indicating that the team considers him a crucial component of their offense. Aaron Judge had also expressed his interest in having Verdugo on the team earlier in the week, highlighting his importance to their offensive strategy.