Here's What Red Sox's Alex Verdugo Could Be Traded For According To Insider

Boston might not get the haul you'd expect for the outfielder

Scott Neville | Oct 13, 2023

Here's What Red Sox's Alex Verdugo Could Be Traded For According To Insider /

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Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox enter a franchise-altering offseason with many decisions to make, including who will run the operation.

When a new leader of baseball operations is appointed, he'll have to decide what to do with one of the more polarizing players in Boston, outfielder Alex Verdugo.

The 27-year-old is entering his last season under team control. The Red Sox had yet to begin extension talks as of a few weeks ago and Verdugo has had a few, albeit small, disciplinary issues with the team. That is a cocktail for an offseason trade.

What would a trade of Verdugo net? The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey gave her insight on the matter and mentioned who could bring in a bigger haul.

"Verdugo is certainly a trade candidate, and teams know they’re getting an average hitter and above-average defender, but one that might come with some disciplinary issues," McCaffrey wrote Thursday. "I still think Verdugo could be traded for a mid-level infielder or reliever, but I think (Jarren) Duran might garner a player with more years of control and upside."

Verdugo hit .264 with 55 extra-base hits including 13 home runs, 54 RBIs and a .745 OPS in 142 games. He also logged one out above average and nine defensive runs saved in the extremely difficult Fenway Park right field.

The excitable outfielder has not risen to the perennial All-Star level ceiling many expected him to have as a top prospect for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Still, a mid-level reliever sounds a little light. If that is his return, Boston should ride out his contract year and reevaluate at the trade deadline. If the Red Sox can get a second baseman of similar value, that makes a little more sense.

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Published Oct 13, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu