Alex Verdugo’s kind gesture to younger Yankees teammates shows he’s fitting in fine
Don’t believe what you’ve heard (from Red Sox announcers)?
Alex Verdugo has but one year with the New York Yankees before reaching free agency, and it seems safe to say he wants to spend his walk year creating goodwill rather than (gestures) whatever he left with Alex Cora in Boston.
Just last week, Red Sox announcer Will Flemming tried to sow negative seeds live on the air, alleging that Verdugo was up to his old tricks with the Yankees, showing up late to meetings and overall falling short in the “good teammate” department. It was true that Verdugo had been scratched with a mysterious leg contusion on March 3 and appeared to recover quickly. Beyond taking a logic leap regarding that absence, though, there was very little evidence of an early poor fit.
Add another arrow to Verdugo’s quiver on Wednesday, as The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner reported on the outfielder’s kind gesture to his younger Yankees teammates.
Entering the organization typically means a makeover, which was especially true for Verdugo, who had to lose his mangy Red Sox beard quickly (though he can keep the chains). In an effort to do unto (hairy) others as you’d love for them to do unto you, Verdugo waved his hand and covered a slate of expensive haircuts for his younger Yankees teammates in a snap (subscription required). That generous offer, surely, came right on time.
Yankees’ Alex Verdugo helping young teammates with free haircuts
In the ongoing PR war regarding Verdugo’s fit in the Bronx, it seems the Yankees have topped the Red Sox this week.
This haircut gesture was Verdugo’s attempt to right what he felt was a wrong that washed over him and forced him to harbor negative feelings early in his career. As a young Dodger, he never received a suit from the team’s veterans despite watching them be lovingly provided to some of his teammates. That wouldn’t — pardon the pun — cut it for Verdugo this time around. Given a third chance to make a first impression, he handled the Yankees’ locker room the way he would’ve wanted to be handled a half-decade ago in Los Angeles.
If the 27-year-old’s bat-to-ball ability doesn’t play in New York or his maturity wanes, the Yankees have an easy off ramp at the end of the season, especially as Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez progress. But, if everything does click in Verdugo’s second chance at taking the AL East by the reins
At least, off the field, he seems to be controlling the controllables thus far — despite what the Boston broadcast would have you believe.
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