Milliken on Alex Verdugo trade: ‘They were done with him’
Alex Verdugo has been traded to the New York Yankees in Craig Breslow’s first big trade in Boston. Our resident baseball guy, Tyler Milliken, shared his thoughts on the trade with Zolak & Bertrand on Tuesday:
‘Give credit to Craig Breslow’
“If you watched Alex Cora, his little interview on MLB Network this morning, he was glowing. He looked like there was pressure off his shoulders. One less thing to worry about, one less guy to have to babysit. It goes back to August when that whole incident played out. Cora called it the hardest day he’s ever had as a manager. That was the final straw. They were done with him. They’ve been trying to train him for a year. The Yankees and them we’re talking a year ago about Alex Verdugo. It’s just come to fruition now. I think they had hoped always they were going to get a little bit more than they did. This is what the price was. And I give credit to Craig Breslow for not choosing a lesser package because the deal was in division with your arch enemy.
“I think it’s a solid return. I’m not going to tell you, like Breslow fleeced them or anything like that, but Richard Fitts, I compare him somewhat to a Josh Winckowski Eastern League pitcher of the Year last year will start in triple-A, entering his age 24 season ceiling of a back end starter, something they don’t have at triple-A. You want to talk about blaming Chaim Bloom for things? There’s no one in triple-A right now. Greg Weissert reliever up and down guy more depth in that department. And then Nicholas Judice, someone who was drafted in 2023 eighth round, never pitched in pro ball, but someone the Red Sox liked. Another issue with Chaim, some of the drafting philosophies, they didn’t go after enough pitching.”
LISTEN: Zolak & Bertrand react to the Alex Verdugo trade
Mazz: On Alex Verdugo, Mookie Betts and the trade that keeps getting worse
This wasn’t a “big” trade
BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 13: Alex Verdugo #99 of the Boston Red Sox hangs his head in front of the scoreboard on the Green Monster in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on August 13, 2020 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
Admittedly, this is probably a “me” problem, but some reports have suggested that this move was the first “big” trade of the Craig Breslow era. It wasn’t. Trading Verdugo has been a forgone conclusion for weeks if not months, especially given the emergence of outfield Wilyer Abreu. In the same breath, you can’t call Verdugo a headache and refer to the Yankees trade as a “big” deal. It was basically a dump. Verdugo got suspended and/or benched by manager Alex Cora twice last year and he hit .225 with a .635 OPS after the All-Star break. If he had been with the Sox on Opening Day 2024, it would have been a failure.
The “big” trade now looks like an even “bigger” bust
BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 27: Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates as he rounds the bases after his two-run home run during the sixth inning at Fenway Park on August 27, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Before you start singing the praises and potential of Connor Wong … pump the brakes. A few months ago, the Red Sox drafted catcher Kyle Teel with the 14th pick of the draft – and Teel rocket-shipped to Double-A by the end of the minor-league season. (Wong is a backup, folks.) Verdugo now joins Jeter Downs (long ago released) as casualties of the Mookie Betts trade, which was a no-win proposition from the start. That said, the deal continues to get worse. Betts just claimed his third runner-up finish in the Most Valuable Player award balloting and the fifth top-5 finish of his career. The Los Angeles Dodgers also just announced that Betts will be playing second base next season on a full-time basis. Know what the Red Sox’ offensive needs are this offseason? A good right-handed bat and a second baseman. Know anyone who could do both?
Verdugo really wasn’t good here
BOSTON, MA – SEPTEMBER 23: Alex Verdugo #99 of the Boston Red Sox reacts after lining out with two runners on-base during the eighth inning of their 1-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Fenway Park on September 23, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
Again, this might be a “me” problem. Still, the idea that the Red Sox got good play from Verdugo is badly overblown because he never really turned into the kind of player he could have been – or that they needed. Over the last four seasons (2020-2023), among the 50 regular major league outfielders who amassed 1,500 plate appearances, Verdugo ranked 28th in WAR, 30th in OPS, 25th in defensive runs saved (among 55 who played 2,500 innings). Get the picture? He wasn’t an All-Star. He didn’t suck. He was … meh. And you didn’t trade Mookie Betts for meh.
