Polarizing Ex-Red Sox Star Gets Shot At Redemption With Struggling Braves

The Boston Red Sox have regrets about plenty of trades throughout team history, but the one they made with the New York Yankees in December of 2023 isn't one of them.

The Yankees were desperate for outfielders at the time, and the Red Sox sent them Alex Verdugo, a productive starter in Boston for four seasons, in exchange for reliever Greg Weissert, starting pitcher Richard Fitts, and pitching prospect Nicholas Judice. A year later, the deal looks like an obvious win.

Now, the Red Sox can't take too much credit, considering Verdugo came to Boston from the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the return for Mookie Betts. But his performance cratered in New York, especially in the second half of the season, and he couldn't find a contract in free agency until mid-March.

However, after signing a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Atlanta Braves that included a minor-league option to start the season, Verdugo is back in the big leagues with a chance at redemption.

Quickly, the 5-13 Braves have reached a point of desperation, and they're now counting on Verdugo to be part of the turnaround. On Thursday, the team announced on their official X account that Verdugo had been recalled, with fellow outfielder Bryan De La Cruz being optioned to Triple-A.

Verdugo, 28, slashed .233/.291/.356 in 149 games for the Yankees last season. He got off to a solid start and homered in his first at-bat against the Red Sox in his Fenway Park return in June, but then hit .205 with a .287 slugging percentage in 80 games from that point forward.

In four years for the Red Sox, including the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he was worth 8.1 bWAR. That's not an All-Star caliber pace, but it's a solid one, and it's all the Braves are looking for after a disastrous start to the season from their entire outfield.

In addition to an 80-game suspension for free-agent acquisition Jurickson Profar, the Braves have gotten a combined -1.0 bWAR so far from De La Cruz, Michael Harris II, and Jarred Kelenic.

Verdugo joins the Braves ahead of a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins. Red Sox fans will curiously await early returns on their former star's fit with his new team.