NL Club Interested in New York Yankees Free Agent Alex Verdugo

This NL club is reportedly showing interest in New York Yankees free agent outfielder Alex Verdugo who is coming off a down season.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) hits a RBI single during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game five of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After a disappointing first season with the New York Yankees, free agent outfielder Alex Verdugo appears destined to land elsewhere this winter.

According to MLB insider Robert Murray of FanSided, the Pittsburgh Pirates are interested in Verdugo as they seek offensive help this offseason.

"I don't believe there is anything imminent there by any means; (Verdugo is) a player they do like," Murray said on the Baseball Insiders podcast.

Verdugo was an initial exciting acquisition for the Yankees last December when they acquired the outfielder from the AL East rival Boston Red Sox in exchange for pitching prospects Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice.

Verdugo got off to a hot start with the Yankees, slashing .275/.362/.450 with a .812 OPS, five home runs and 16 RBI through May 7. However, the 28-year-old fell into a horrific slump the rest of the way, which saw him finish hitting .233/.291/.356 with a .647 OPS, 13 homers and 61 RBIs in 149 games.

Verdugo's crash at the plate resulted in him ultimately getting benched for top prospect Jasson Dominguez in September. But the veteran would replace Dominguez as the Yankees' starting left fielder once again throughout the postseason due to his defensive skills.

As ugly as Verdugo's offensive performance was in 2024, his defense in left field was a plus (2 Outs Above Average), which is why he re-claimed a starting spot in October. That said, Verdugo slashed just .208/.309/.313 with a .622 OPS, one homer and eight RBIs in 14 playoff games.

Despite a poor season with the Yankees, Verdugo has been a much better hitter in his career with a .272/.328/.414 slash line and .742 OPS across 800 big-league games and eight seasons.

With the Yankees acquiring the versatile Cody Bellinger from the Chicago Cubs, who is expected to play center field or left, their decision to move AL MVP winner Aaron Judge back to right field, and the expectation that Dominguez will play everyday in 2025, it's unlikely that Verdugo will return to the Bronx.

A team like the Pirates seem like a perfect landing spot for Verdugo to bounce-back and rebuild his value on a one-year deal in order to become a free agent again next year at age-29. They have interest, but nothing is imminent at this point.