Alex Verdugo has quickly become a huge part of the Red Sox and a big fan favorite. Recently there have been reports that Verdugo wants to stay in Boston. He told Alex Speier of 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.” Joining the organization back in 2020 in return for Mookie Betts from the Dodgers. There were many reports back then on why the Red Sox would trade such a young and amazing player in Betts but that’s a whole different story. In his first season with the club in 2020, Verdugo placed 12th in MVP votes. Now in a shortened season, but this is a big deal for him and the ball club. He has really found his spot in Boston especially because he is a big personality. One of “Dugies” biggest consistencies is his style on the field. From a custom glove that resembles the Mexican Flag, big chains, to even a diamond grill. His style is not the only thing that gets people’s attention, however. What Verdugo has been able to do on the field is why he should be seriously considered to be on this ballclub in the future. Since joining the Red Sox back in 2020 he is hitting .290, .349 OBP, .431 SLG, good for a .780 OPS. Not known for the long ball but he also has had 35 homeruns with the club. One place that you cannot see on the stat sheet is Verdugo’s clutch gene. Just this year alone, 2023, he has 3 walk-off hits. Time and time again he has proven what an asset he can be to the team.

At the end of last year there was chirps of him not giving 100% or just that he could improve. The manager of the Red Sox, Alex Cora, stated that Verdugo could “be a lot better” at the end of the 2022 season. This season he has proven that this tough love approach was perfect for him, and you can see it in his numbers. This season, “Dugie” is slashing .301/.374/.462 good for a .836 OPS. Told to get more athletic in the offseason, he has proven he can be a very dynamic player, even leads the AL in doubles at 24. Now batting is not everything, especially in today’s game with the Red Sox. Defense was a bit of a question mark for a lot of people in the Red Sox organization about Verdugo. In 2022 he was slower than average, being in the 38th percentile in sprint speed. This reflected on his defense by being 13th percentile in Outs Above Average and 43rd percentile in outfielder jump. One place it’s always been above average is his arm strength ranking in at 75th percentile in 2022. This season has been a different story and seems like manager Alex Cora’s comments at the end of last year really woke something up in Verdugo. This year Verdugo is up in all categories; 56th percentile in sprint speed, 80th percentile Outs Above Average, 90th percentile in Outfield Jump, and 94th percentile in Arm Strength. In one of the hardest right fields in the game, at Fenway, he has shown he is up for the task. With all these qualities in mind, his great bat and approach and his now above average defense, Alex Verdugo would make a perfect fit for this new age of Red Sox baseball. Personally, I see not extending Verdugo a big loss for this team.