Story by
Former Red Sox Outfielder Reportedly Signs Contract With Padres
- Story by
- Former Red Sox Outfielder Reportedly Signs Contract With Padres
Former Red Sox Outfielder Reportedly Signs Contract With Padres originally appeared on NESN . Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Former Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo has reportedly signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres .
Verdugo's MLB career spans nine seasons across four teams, beginning with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017. Drafted in the second round in 2014, he debuted as a promising outfielder known for contact hitting and defensive skills.
Advertisement
Over 856 games, he's compiled a .270 batting average, 70 home runs, 328 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases, with an OPS of .732 and 11.6 WAR.
His strongest year came in 2020 with the Red Sox , where he batted .308, hit six homers, and finished 12th in AL MVP voting during the shortened season. Traded to the New York Yankees for 2024, he posted a .233 average with 13 homers in 149 games.
In 2025, Verdugo signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal with the Atlanta Braves late in spring training and started in Triple-A before a call-up in mid-April amid outfield needs. He appeared in 56 games, mostly in left field, but struggled offensively with a .239/.296/.289 slash line, zero home runs, 12 RBIs, and one stolen base across 197 at-bats.
His -0.3 WAR reflected poor production and subpar defense, leading to his designation for assignment in early July and subsequent release. Verdugo remained a free agent through the offseason.
More MLB: Meet the New Red Sox: What's Changed — and Why It Matters in 2026
