Braves Cut Ties With Ex-Red Sox Outfielder From Infamous Mookie Betts Trade

The Mookie Betts trade never looked good for the Boston Red Sox, but Wednesday served as one more ruthless reminder of that epic failure from five years ago.

Before the 2020 season, the Red Sox sent Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he's since won two World Series rings, for outfielder Alex Verdugo, catcher Connor Wong, and infielder Jeter Downs.

Wong is the lone player still on the Red Sox roster, but he's batting .151 and doesn't have an extra-base hit this season. Downs last played for Boston in 2022, and he's now in his second season in Japan. And Verdugo's topsy-turvy career just took yet another downturn.

On Wednesday, Verdugo was designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves, his second team since departing the Red Sox via trade in December of 2023. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was first with the report of the transaction, which cleared the way for 2024 All-Star Jurickson Profar's return from an 80-game suspension.

Verdugo was a slightly above-average major leaguer during his four years with the Red Sox, but he's been well below average since the trade to the New York Yankees that brought back reliever Greg Weissert, starting pitcher Richard Fitts, and minor league pitcher Nicholas Judice.

Last season, Verdugo had a .649 OPS and 0.8 bWAR in 149 games for the Yankees. He dropped off even further after signing with the Braves in March, putting up a .585 OPS and -0.2 bWAR in 58 games. He did not hit a home run during his time with Atlanta.

The Verdugo trade, at least, has paid off handsomely for Boston, though it could never recoup the loss of Betts to LA. Boston's young outfield is thriving in his absence, Weissert has been a reliable setup man this year, and Fitts still has promise as a part of the Red Sox rotation.

Verdugo could still wind up back in the minors with Atlanta if he clears waivers. He signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract, so any team that claimed him would be on the hook for the remainder of that salary. But because he has more than five years of service time, he could also elect free agency.

Still only 29 years old, Verdugo is now fighting to stay within reach of a major league roster spot. And his struggles serve as a constant reminder of the epic flop that the Betts trade quickly became for this Boston team.