American League East archrivals shocked the baseball world in December 2023 when the New York Yankees acquired outfielder Alex Verdugo from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for three players.
This was only the seventh time the franchises have made a trade with each other in the last 50 years.
At the time, the Yankees were still looking for outfield upgrades and better hitting in their lineup.
Verdugo could certainly provide that with his .281/.338/.424 slash line, OPS+ of 105, 43 home runs and 206 RBI the past four seasons.
Certainly a solid hitter and someone New York could use.
But, the 27-year-old saw his performance regress at the plate every year since he was traded to the Red Sox by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the deal that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers.
Verdugo's relationship with Boston manager Alex Cora deteriorated and he was eventually dealt.
The outfielder admitted he was angered by the trade at first, but after getting reached out to by multiple star Yankees, he felt excited about the opportunity to play in New York with this team.
However, that excitement might have differed a bit when the normally beard-rocking Verdugo would have to change his look as part of the Yankees' dress code.
He released pictures of his new, freshly-shaved appearance back in December, but new photos have come out showcasing what he looks like in New York gear as players started showing up to Spring Training.
Verdugo certainly looks like a Yankee now.
It might take a while to get used to the new look that the outfielder has, but maybe this will help him perform and give New York a much better chance at winning a championship.
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