The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox have perhaps the most notable rivalry in all of sports. However, the two teams came together for a huge trade involving star outfielder Alex Verdugo on Tuesday.
Verdugo was most notably the big piece that the Red Sox got back in the Mookie Betts trade back in 2020. Since then, he has been a very productive player for the Red Sox.
He will now be taking his talents to New York after the Red Sox decided to move him on Tuesday. The Red Sox will be receiving Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice back from the Yankees.
Fitts is notably the No. 12 prospect in the Yankees farm system, while Judice is an eighth-round pick in the recent 2023 MLB Draft.
The Yankees are reportedly acquiring OF Alex Verdugo from the Red Sox for RHPs Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice, per https://t.co/Z3s2EpgF39's @Feinsand. pic.twitter.com/V79wyEJa7D
— MLB (@MLB) December 6, 2023
Verdugo is among the best players in all of baseball at one particular skill, hitting for a high average and getting on base. The Yankees ranked in the bottom-five in all of baseball in both of those catagories, so this trade certainly fills a pretty big need.
Fans took to social media to offer their opinions on the move.
How is any Yankee fan against this? Love this trade. Lefty outfielder who hits for average and makes contact. Exactly what they need.
They needed two outfielders. Verdugo is one. Now make Soto two https://t.co/1ZZB51KwOD
— Tommy Smokes (@TomScibelli) December 6, 2023
WOAHHHHHHHHHHH https://t.co/jIQBxzqQSC
— Jared Carrabis (@Jared_Carrabis) December 6, 2023
Alex Verdugo is an unrestricted free agent in 2025.
The Yankees needed to add 2 outfielders because the Martian is injured until July.
This should have no impact on Soto other than the Yankees having more leverage. https://t.co/rKkbIFZ62S
— Jimmy Randazzo (@JimmyRandazzo) December 6, 2023
The left hitting outfielder you wanted https://t.co/xlqEAdntGI
— Evan Roberts (@EvanRobertsWFAN) December 6, 2023
A RED SOX YANKEES TRADE?!?! https://t.co/QDc9yjU7tV
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) December 6, 2023
The trade it a pretty shocking on for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is just the seventh trade in the last half-centure between the two bitter AL East rivals.
News at ESPN, free and unlocked: The Yankees and Red Sox make only their seventh trade in the last half-century, with Alex Verdugo going to New York and right-handed pitching prospects Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice headed to the Red Sox. https://t.co/QhyRBjkIA3
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 6, 2023
Secondly, it’s surprising to see the Yankees trade for Verdugo in particular because most fans assumed that they would be going after another left-handed hitting outfielder.
San Diego Padres star Juan Soto has been tied in trade talks with the Yankees over the past few months.
However, according to multiple reports, this trade likely won’t take the Yankees out of the running for Soto.
Juan Soto (or Cody Bellinger) still in play for Yankees even after Verdugo deal. If it’s Soto, Judge presumably plays CF
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 6, 2023
The Yankees still are in play for another outfielder with Juan Soto remaining their first choice
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 6, 2023
If the Yankees are able to acquire both Soto and Verdugo this offseason, it would completely transform the Yankees offense, which appears to be a much-needed task for their team going into the 2024.
At the very least, it is a pretty great start to the Yankees offseason.
