The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox agreed to an Alex Verdugo-led trade on Tuesday night. The deal saw New York acquire Verdugo for three right-handed pitchers in Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert and Nicholas Judice, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported.
Verdugo is a talented player who was originally acquired by the Red Sox from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Mookie Betts trade. The Yankees-Red Sox deal was especially notable since the rivals rarely make trades with one another.
So who won the trade? Was it a good deal for both sides?
Yankees acquire Verdugo
Alex Verdugo is a good player, but not a superstar. The Yankees are still hoping to trade for Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres. New York's Verdugo acquisition should not be overlooked though.
The Yankees have relied on a power-hitting/strikeout-heavy lineup over the past few years. New York doesn't put the ball in play enough and their offense has been boom-or-bust.
For the most part, the approach has still worked fairly well… until 2023. The Yankees' lineup endured a miserable '23 campaign. Aside from Aaron Judge, New York's hitters couldn't find any rhythm this past season.
So what does that have to do with Alex Verdugo?
In a lot of ways, Verdugo is the perfect player for New York. They needed corner outfield help. Additionally, the Yankees clearly needed a contact-first type of batter.
Verdugo is a career .281 hitter and he's never struck out more than 96 times in a single season. For his career, he owns a 15.1 percent strikeout rate, per Baseball Reference. That is a mark that will help the Yankees.
Verdugo won't provide much pop from the left-side of the plate. Still, he puts the ball in play on a consistent basis and should be able to provide value anywhere in the lineup.
Red Sox trade return
Boston received three pitchers in return for Alex Verdugo.
Fitts, a 23-year-old, posted a 3.48 ERA in Double-A during the 2023 campaign. Fitts is now the Red Sox's No. 10 overall prospect in their farm system, per MLB.com.
His fastball stands out, but Fitts also has a good slider. His MLB ETA is set for 2024, but he probably will make more of a big league impact in 2025.
Weissert, 28, appeared in 17 games for the Yankees in 2023. He recorded a 4.05 ERA during that span and displayed signs of potential. Weissert could become a key part of the Red Sox bullpen.
Finally, the Red Sox acquired Judice in the deal. His presence in the trade adds pitching depth for Boston's farm system.
Final trade grades
It's difficult to declare a clear winner just yet. Much of it will depend on how Fitts and Judice's big league careers fare. The Red Sox are hoping both pitchers will develop into key parts of the rotation down the road.
Meanwhile, Weissert should be able to make an impact soon. Adding him to the deal was a good move for Boston.
With that being said, the Yankees' acquisition of Verdugo makes a lot of sense. Verdugo fills multiple needs for New York. There is no guarantee he will perform well in New York, as many players have struggled in the city, but Verdugo projects to be a great fit.
The Yankees appear to be the winner of this trade for now, but only time will tell who truly won.
Yankees trade grade: A
Red Sox trade grade: B
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