The Dugie Down Bronx: Red Sox trade Alex Verdugo to Yankees

Yo La Tengo

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Nov 21, 2005
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frankly I'm impressed we got a guy with starter upside for a one year Verdugo rental
Couldn't agree more. What a first move for Breslow. I'm eagerly awaiting the next transaction and relieved that I resisted my sons' requests for a Verdugo t-shirt (right now, we have Pedro, Big Papi, Pedroia, Mookie, and Xander options in circulation at our house).
 

GPO Man

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I have to think at least one of these prospects gets flipped in another deal. Hell of a bold move for Craig’s first major deal.
 

Whoop-La White

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It's fascinating that Verdugo might have been Breslow's most obvious tradeable asset and he went ahead and dealt him to the longtime rival in his second trade ever.

This honestly feels like a move Bloom might have made--none of the pieces brought back look like they will have a major impact this year, but could be immense down the road. But by reputation alone I like that Breslow is working on bettering the pitching in the organization from the bottom up. And if they don't find a replacement right fielder, it could be a vote of confidence in Abreu and Raffaela.
 
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Papo The Snow Tiger

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Add me to the group who isn't surprised to see Verdugo go. It may not have risen to the Don Zimmer - Bill Lee level, but there was definitely something going on between Cora and Verdugo.
 

Van Everyman

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It's fascinating that Verdugo might have been Breslow's most obvious tradeable asset and he went ahead and dealt him to the longtime rival in his second trade ever.

This honestly feels like a move Bloom might have made--none of the pieces brought back look like they will have a major impact this year, but could be immense down the road. But by reputation alone I like that Breslow is working on bettering the pitching in the organization from the bottom up. And if they don't find a replacement right fielder, it could be a vote of confidence in
… in?

IN???

IN WHO???
 

PedroKsBambino

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Consider the source, but ...

@JimBowdenGM
Don't be surprised if the #Yankees now try to spin Verdugo in a package with King and Thorpe to the #Padres to try and land Juan Soto ....
I do not believe Verdugo really has a lot of trade value - which fits with both this return (for one so so, well outside top 100 prospect and some flyer prospects) and does not fit with him mattering in a Soto trade. Anything is possible and Padres are in ownership transition, but it would be surprising if he mattered to a bigger trade.

What I think is more likely is Yankees needed credible MLB OF (and Verdugo is that) and have no actual budget, and Sox were happy to dump salary for a so so prospect and some flyers, which makes sense in both directions.
 

Jed Zeppelin

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Decent player but at his ceiling here and not someone you’re committing $$ to long-term. You can find guys like him. Hell, Wilyer could be a guy like him.
 

johnlos

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I have to think at least one of these prospects gets flipped in another deal. Hell of a bold move for Craig’s first major deal.
Was thinking same at first, but frankly we've been so bad at finding pitching maybe this move is irrelevant to that. As others said he was persona non grata and we have the OF depth. Very happy to see Duran locking in a FT role too.
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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I find this very interesting on a more high level side of things. Trading major league value for prospects to a rival has to signal something large on the acquisition front.
Yeah. The alternative is that they don’t plan to contend and don’t care who they deal with, but that seems unlikely.

Bold move.
 

grimshaw

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Verdugo is exactly the kind of player the Sox need minus the attitude (or whatever) issues which is kind of a shame. An absolutely dreadful defense is even worse now but obviously something else will be done.
Near major league pitching depth is very badly needed so I get it.
 

Over Guapo Grande

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Nov 29, 2005
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We didn't even get a 2B out of this? Why

Closes the book on the Betts trade as a massive failure that everyone involved should have follow them to their graves and beyond.
Not a Conner Wong fan?

And what if one of these arms become ammo for another big name signing? Like how the Barry Pederson trade kept delivering results for 30 someodd years?
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Feels like a Bloom kind of trade. Hopefully the arms are good.

If Cora and Dugie had conflicts, so be it. Trading to the Yankees is less of an issue than it has been historically given the recent performance of the clubs.
 

JM3

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Feels like a Bloom kind of trade. Hopefully the arms are good.

If Cora and Dugie had conflicts, so be it. Trading to the Yankees is less of an issue than it has been historically given the recent performance of the clubs.
Eh. It's actually the sort of trade Bloom got bashed for not making. Fitts is a far better pitching prospect than any that Bloom traded for in his tenure.

The highest rated prospect in the system who Bloom traded for is Grant Gambrell (my #32, SP #36) who was kind of a throw in for the Benny trade (which also got them Winck who I believe is the best MLB pitcher Bloom traded for? ).

So I guess yeah... it's basically like the Benny trade except with less teams & no PTBNL.

I think I'm probably putting Fitts #12.
 

kazuneko

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Hate this trade.
Bad enough to trade your only gold glove candidate from a 23’ team that was the worst defense in baseball, but even worse they traded him to the MFY, where he’s a perfect fit.
Honestly, what the fuck? Is Cora or Breslow this team’s GM? The Sox need to improve their friggin defense and I thought they were looking to compete next year. This hurts both those goals. And, ridiculously, it helps the friggin Yanks do both. Not a good start for Mr. Breslow, but I guess we’ll have to see what’s coming next…
 

Beomoose

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NYY has to be a minor nightmare for Verdugo, right? Will need to shave, probably has to cut back on the gold and chains, and NYC media isn't exactly going to give him a shitload of free passes if he's not producing.
… in?

IN???

IN WHO???
Prom night?
 

Yo La Tengo

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Nov 21, 2005
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And I see why NYY made this trade- could hit 20+ homers in that ridiculous field, very good defense, and seems to feed off the energy of the NY crowd. I'm not sure if I'd want to extend him if I'm Cashman, but, if the plan is to go for it in 2024, this move definitely moves the needle.
 

oumbi

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In Breslow we trust? Maybe Breslow sees future potential in these guys we don't.
 

JM3

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I only meant that it gives up 2-3 wins next year for longer term assets. Makes a craptastic defense worse in the short term. Hopefully, just a first step.
Yeah... in that regard it is kind of like the Renfroe trade. Plenty of time for more shoes to drop, though.
 

SouthernBoSox

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I only meant that it gives up 2-3 wins next year for longer term assets. Makes a craptastic defense worse in the short term. Hopefully, just a first step.
How does it give up 2-3 wins? Are you assuming Wilyer Abreu will be a replacement player? Not to mention saving $10 AAV?
 

Ale Xander

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Oct 31, 2013
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Hate this trade.
Bad enough to trade your only gold glove candidate from a 23’ team that was the worst defense in baseball, but even worse they traded him to the MFY, where he’s a perfect fit.
Honestly, what the fuck? Is Cora or Breslow this team’s GM? The Sox need to improve their friggin defense and I thought they were looking to compete next year. This hurts both those goals. And, ridiculously, it helps the friggin Yanks do both. Not a good start for Mr. Breslow, but I guess we’ll have to see what’s coming next…
If you think it’s bad now, wait until he goes 30/100/GG next year
 

Yelling At Clouds

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I agree but he is left handed. Do they resign Duvall or another righty free agent outfielder?
My guess is one of the ex-Jays (Gurriel or Teoscar) is more likely now, but it's tough to predict until we know more about how Craig B. operates as a PBOps
 

JM3

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Minus the adding $20M in payroll and going over the tax part.
Bloom kind of forgot to drop more shoes. Fitts is also a better prospect than Binelas or Hamilton & Weissert is a better MLB player than '22 JBJ. Not meant as a Weissert compliment.

I have a feeling we're going to start trading bullpen arms soon. Whether that's like Schreiber or like Pivetta or like Jansen, only time will tell.
 

Scoops Bolling

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Mark me down as surprised that Verdugo got this much in return. He's been a fine, league average player, but that's all. He is not gold glover caliber, he's got okay range and a strong but inaccurate arm; he's pretty average overall as a defender out there. Decent contact, but doesn't really do anything else at an above average level. Basically, unless he has a power breakout in his age 28 season (and not one just due to park factors, which per Statcast would expect him to receive about 7 extra HRs playing in Yankee Stadium as that's been his average over the past 3 years) he'll be a slightly cheap (but still probably an 8 digit contract) league average OF.

Fitts looks like more of a reliever to me given the questions about his changeup, but he could be an impact one. So too could Judice. Even Weissert looks to be a useful relief arm. The team has the makings of a very strong bullpen now with a lot of young, cheap arms.
 

Harry Hooper

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Guess Cora knew this was coming…
Verdugo as well if you recall his "seven weeks to go" comments.

Trading away hitting for pitching is an all-too-rare phenomenon in Red Sox history. Steady on, CBO!
 

Petagine in a Bottle

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A guy who gives you league average production over 600 plate appearances is much better than a league average player, though. He’s close to a 3 win player. But he’s also probably not a guy you offer a QO to or want to sign long term so there’s a limited amount of value though especially in his last year of arbitration. Think it all depends on what they have planned for the rest of the team but I’m guessing that the players they got and the ability to reallocate that cost made this worth dealing with a rival, in the teams eyes. Pretty bold first major trade for Breslow.
 

Yelling At Clouds

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Verdugo takes with him about 95% of SoSH trade proposal content. What will we do with ourselves now?
 

Ale Xander

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Mark me down as surprised that Verdugo got this much in return. He's been a fine, league average player, but that's all. He is not gold glover caliber, he's got okay range and a strong but inaccurate arm; he's pretty average overall as a defender out there. Decent contact, but doesn't really do anything else at an above average level. Basically, unless he has a power breakout in his age 28 season (and not one just due to park factors, which per Statcast would expect him to receive about 7 extra HRs playing in Yankee Stadium as that's been his average over the past 3 years) he'll be a slightly cheap (but still probably an 8 digit contract) league average OF.

Fitts looks like more of a reliever to me given the questions about his changeup, but he could be an impact one. So too could Judice. Even Weissert looks to be a useful relief arm. The team has the makings of a very strong bullpen now with a lot of young, cheap arms.
What do you mean not Gold Globe caliber? He was a finalist for it last year.
 

circus catch

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Nov 6, 2009
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I was ready to crash but I don’t think this deal gets done now unless something else is about to happen, so I’m up a while.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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How does it give up 2-3 wins? Are you assuming Wilyer Abreu will be a replacement player? Not to mention saving $10 AAV?
I should have said a 2-3 win player. If dugie was truly redundant, and it will be like for like, then great. Anything we get for him is gravy and the salary is nice to move. But Verdugo was a proven, competent lefty bat with defensive skills on a team with very little defense. I hope Wilyer gives us the same, but he is a rookie with fewer than 100 ABs, so I’m not assuming anything. It feels like a future move, not a right now move.
 

AlNipper49

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I’m guessing this is what Boone and Cora were talking about last night.

Fuck Aaron Boone. Fuck Bob Boone. Fuck Bret Boone. Fuck Ray Boone. I hope that if any of them has a dog that it dies.
 

Yo La Tengo

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Somewhere, Kenley Jansen just shrugged.
Again, why are we in a rush to trade Jansen? He was effective in his role, doesn't have an obvious replacement, and allows Cora and the bullpen to have set patterns of usage, which has real world value even though I/we wish it didn't. If the Sox are good, they are going to want to have an experienced closer. If they are bad, they can trade Jansen at the deadline when he would likely have a price tag that matches whatever he could be exchanged for this offseason.