The Yankees outfield can look a whole lot different in 2025.
Aaron Judge will be there but will Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo complete the trio that played most of 2024 together? While Soto’s destination is the headline for this offseason, and the Yankees will definitely do everything they can to bring him back, can the same be said for Verdugo? Should the Yankees want to bring back their former rival-turned-teammate?
That’s the question we’re looking to answer as the 28-year-old finished his first season in the Bronx with a bit of a whimper. But it wasn’t always that. Verdugo started off strong, hitting .279 with four home runs and providing a toughness and energy that the Yankees seemed to lack in 2023. But that quickly turned as the left-handed hitter struggled the rest of the way.
When it was all said and done, Verdugo finished with a .233/.291/.647 slashline with only 13 home runs and 61 RBI.
While he did seem to find a role as the No. 9 hitter down the stretch and in the postseason, is it enough to warrant a new contract with the Yankees?
Why it could make sense to let Verdugo go
It’s difficult to determine any Yankees acquisition until we know where Soto lands. Either way, the Yankees are probably best served by moving on from Verdugo.
Although he seemed like a good locker room guy, his production was not up to par. Verdugo had career lows in just about every category including doubles where he was supposed to be the king of. He hit only 28 doubles across 149 games this season, the lowest he’s had over that many games in his career. The only two seasons he had fewer doubles in which he played more than half of the team’s games were in 2019 with the Dodgers when he hit 22 over 106 games and in the shortened 2020 year. Even then, Verdugo hit 16 doubles in just 53 games.
Perhaps a new team is the reason for Verdugo’s decline in numbers, but in his final season with the Red Sox, his production was declining. His batting average was .264, down from .280, his strikeouts rose from 86 to 93 in 10 fewer games and seemingly butted heads with Boston coaching.
There’s also Jaason Dominguez to think about. Verdugo is taking up potential playing time for the top Yankees prospect and he will do so again if he returns. It behooves the organization to give Dominguez a chance to play every day and that won’t happen if Verdugo returns, especially if Soto re-signs. The Yankees will need to save money by playing their young players already under rookie contracts.
Even if Soto signs elsewhere, Dominguez should be starting every day and Verdugo not being there is one less hurdle.
Why it could make sense to bring Verdugo back
This scenario makes sense if Soto doesn’t re-sign with the Yankees, which is definitely a possibility.
Without Soto on the books, the Yankees will have money to spend to fill holes, which includes the outfield. Without Soto in right field, Judge can shift over, allowing Dominguez to play center field, his natural position. That will leave left field open for Verdugo to take again.
Verdugo is an above-average defender in left and was a Gold Glove finalist for 2024. If the Yankees want to shore up their fundamentals, they need more players like Verdugo in the field.
On the offensive front, the Yankees would hope 2024 was an acclimation period and he can be the extra-base machine the baseball world saw in his previous seven seasons. We saw what he’s capable of in the postseason. While the Yankees’ first two rounds were solid, he showed flashes in the World Series.
In the five-game series, Verdugo went 4-for-17 (.235) with a home run, five RBI and three walks hitting out of the nine-hole.
Verdict
Verdugo is a solid player but unless he’s willing to take a one-year prove-it deal then it doesn’t make sense for the Yankees to bring him back. It makes more sense to keep Verdugo if Soto doesn’t return but even so, Dominguez is the future and needs the playing time. The free-agent market for outfielders is top-heavy — led by Soto, Teoscar Hernandez and Anthony Santander — but Verdugo’s age and track record would likely fetch him a better offer than the Yankees would be willing to give.
The Yankees tried with Verdugo, but after only a one-year commitment it should be an easy split.
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