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Alex Verdugo's contributions to the Boston Red Sox will always be weighed against Mookie Betts. While it wasn’t his call to be traded along with other players in exchange for the superstar, it gave him big shoes to fill. Although he isn’t as good as Betts, he has done an admirable job since then.
In 2023, Verdugo is in the midst of his best (full) season with the Red Sox. He's hitting .301/.374/.462 with a career-low strikeout rate and an American League-leading 24 doubles. His defense has been very good, too. He loves Boston and is open to the contract extension but has not rushed it, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.
“All in good time. It will happen when it happens,” Verdugo said, via the Boston Globe. “I’m all ears. I do love Boston. I’ve been saying it for many years. I’ve really been able to come into my own in this organization. I like it a lot.”
The Red Sox paying their in-house players is a touchy subject after watching Xander Bogaerts leave in free agency. Although they extended Rafael Devers, Verdugo will surely be ready to ask for a big deal when he becomes eligible for free agency after the 2024 season, especially if he continues his improvement.
“It’s always in the back of your mind, because you don’t know where you’re going to go. You don’t know what’s going to happen,” Verdugo said of his potential free agency, via the Boston Globe. “You have your days where you think about it, but you won’t know until you get there. I’ve got to still go out there and play and do good and just do everything I can to help us win. However they and we want to handle it, that’s how it happens.”
Alex Verdugo may love Boston but he certainly has to consider if he wants to stay with the Red Sox for a long time. They are the worst team in the AL East and, although they are still a decent squad, that limits their ability to compete. Keeping Verdugo in Boston will be crucial for the front office.
