Former New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo’s long-awaited return (or so social media would have you think) to the majors is potentially in sight.
Only weeks after signing a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves, Verdugo could join the big-league team within the coming days. Atlanta entered the week at 4-11, desperately needing a reliable outfield bat.
Enter Verdugo, who left Sunday’s game at Triple-A Gwinnett early.
“[All] signs point to Verdugo joining the Braves this week,” Braves reporter Dave O’Brien wrote in The Athletic, “either in Toronto or when they begin a homestand Friday against the Minnesota Twins.”
Verdugo is 4-for-22 with two home runs at Gwinnett. However, the last-place Braves will take anything they can get from a veteran outfielder who has flashed in the past.
Fans and pundits alike were surprised it took Verdugo, who turns 29 next month, so long to sign a contract. He hit .233 with 13 home runs, 61 RBI, and a .647 OPS as the Yankees’ starting left fielder; he also drew seven walks to eight strikeouts over 14 playoff games for the AL champions.
By no means is anyone suggesting that Verdugo had a good season in the Bronx. In fact, most Yankees fans were glad when it became apparent the ex-Boston Red Sox outfielder wouldn’t return for a second campaign in pinstripes.
However, Verdugo checked plenty of boxes as a possible buy-low, sell-high bounce-back candidate. He’s a lefty bat capable of playing all three outfield spots and reaches base at a solid .328 clip; the MLB average last year was .312, down from .320 in 2023.
The key word there is “possible.” If the Braves get the version of Verdugo who hit .228 with a .606 OPS in the second half last year, then he may not stick around Atlanta for long.
