Report: Verdugo yet to receive major-league offer in free agency
Alex Verdugo has spent the entire winter looking for a new job, and it appears his search will stretch into the season.
The veteran outfielder, who helped the New York Yankees to an AL pennant last season, has yet to receive an MLB offer since becoming a free agent, a source told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic.
Verdugo earned $8.7 million last season, and it's unclear what his asking price might be for 2025. Earlier this month, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Pittsburgh Pirates briefly touched base with Verdugo about a potential deal in the $8-million range before signing Tommy Pham to a 1-year, $4.025-million contract.
Verdugo's bat took a downturn in the Bronx last season, as he hit a career-worst .233/.291/.356 with 13 homers and 61 RBIs over 149 games as New York's primary left fielder. However, he provided value defensively, collecting eight defensive runs saved in left while committing only one error en route to being named a Gold Glove finalist.
The Yankees, who acquired Verdugo for three pitchers in a rare trade with the rival Boston Red Sox the previous winter, quickly moved on from him after the World Series. Top prospect Jasson Domínguez has been waiting in the wings and will take over left field this year.
It's unclear why Verdugo's stock has fallen so quickly around the league. Several of his former teammates, including reigning MVP Aaron Judge, told Kuty they were "surprised" that he remains on the market. Judge added that Verdugo "brings so much value and versatility to a team."
Although he seemed to be popular in the Yankees' clubhouse, Verdugo's four-year Red Sox tenure ended poorly. During the 2023 season, he frequently butted heads with manager Alex Cora and was benched for one game after reportedly showing up late.
The 28-year-old is a lifetime .272/.328/.414 hitter with 70 homers, 316 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases across eight big-league seasons with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Verdugo was one of the key pieces Boston acquired in the blockbuster 2020 trade that sent Mookie Betts to Hollywood.
Verdugo isn't the only big name still available on the eve of Opening Day. Two of his former All-Star teammates, first baseman Anthony Rizzo and designated hitter J.D. Martinez, also remain free agents after not finding deals to their liking.
Rizzo told Kuty and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic last month that he wants to play but won't take a below-market contract. Meanwhile, Martinez had brief talks with the Yankees earlier this winter following Giancarlo Stanton's elbow injury, but those discussions never gained much traction, Heyman reported in February.