Aaron Judge and New York Yankees’ Warm Welcome Thawed Icy Ex-Red Sox Star After Shock Trade

Published 12/21/2023, 7:58 PM EST

It’s not every day that you’re part of a historic trade. When Alex Verdugo made his MLB debut in 2017, little did he know that he would become a pawn in what many consider the worst trade of the generation. After joining the Red Sox in 2020 and spending four seasons at Fenway, the young talent found himself in the midst of yet another bizarre trade. This time, it wasn’t just about the exchange values, but rather the unexpected teams involved.

On December 5, 2023, the Boston Red Sox traded Verdugo to the New York Yankees in exchange for Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice. Naturally, the 27-year-old youngster didn’t know what to think of this. He was upset. Until messages started coming in from the big Yankees. Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton. The seasoned members of the team assumed a leadership role, ensuring that despite his Red Sox affiliation, Verdugo would find a new home in the Bronx.

Fresh Beginnings: Building New Bonds with a New Team

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Almost two weeks after his trade, the former Red Sox discussed the trade in his official Yankees presser. Expectedly, when he just found out, he wasn’t very happy. But it got better soon.

Alex Verdugo said that his initial reaction to the trade was “mad – they really sent me to the rivals?”
Then after a day, he heard from Aaron Judge, Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo, and is looking forward to a fresh start.
“It got me excited. I shaved right away so I could feel…
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) December 21, 2023

“The genuine reaction was mad. I was hot. I was just like ‘Man they really sent me to the rivals, the Yankees!’ And then, after about a day, I just started sitting back, started thinking, just reminiscing about how this year went with the Red Sox, and everything that was going on,” Verdugo told reporters on Thursday.

The Arizona-born outfielder wasn’t mad for too long, though. Welcomed with warmth by the senior players of the Yankees, including captain Aaron Judge, Verdugo reciprocated with a simple ‘shaving’ gesture. Now, he works out in a Yankees hat every day to remember how it feels like.

“Then I started thinking, having guys reach out – Judge, Stanton, Gerrit, Rizzo. Just these guys started all reaching out and welcoming me to the team. It just then got me excited.” Finally, Verdugo echoed the dream of every Yankees fan since 2009, and said, “I’m excited for this new fresh start. I want to win the World Series.”

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A problem of plenty in the Yankees’ outfield

After an entire year of pondering ‘Who will take on left field?’ the Yankees now find themselves with a fresh problem–an abundance of options in the outfield. Assuming that Aaron Judge and Juan Soto secure two of the three outfield spots, the third one is still up for grabs.

Once Jasson Dominguez returns from injury, it’s likely the final spot will be his. However, until then, they’ve got Big G, Alex Verdugo, Trent Grisham, and even utility players Oswald Cabrera and Isiah Kiner-Falefa (for now) in the mix. If I was a Yankees fan (I am), this problem of plenty is a pleasant change.

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Who do you think will be the three Yankees outfielders on Opening Day? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Written by:

Mohsin Baldiwala, an experienced MLB writer at EssentiallySports, holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in policy. Much like many New Yorkers, Mohsin's initial connection to baseball stemmed from the legendary tales of the New York Yankees. To this day, their rich history continues to fuel Mohsin's passion for the team, with a newfound admiration for Gerrit Cole.

Edited by:

Deepanshi Bajaj

Aaron Judge and New York Yankees’ Warm Welcome Thawed Icy Ex-Red Sox Star After Shock Trade

Fresh Beginnings: Building New Bonds with a New Team

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A problem of plenty in the Yankees’ outfield