For the first time since his departure from the Boston Red Sox organization, Alex Verdugo will return to Fenway Park as an opponent.
Not just any opponent — a New York Yankee.
Verdugo was one of Boston's last remaining pieces from the Mookie Betts trade. The Sox still have Connor Wong, who's put up the season of his career so far, but it's safe to say the trade didn't pan out the way management hoped.
Regardless, the lefty shared that he's excited to play in Boston again.
“Part of me, I’m excited,” Verdugo said to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “That’s my favorite ballpark and still is, to this day. I love the atmosphere, I love the layout of it. I’ve got a lot of friends over there on that team, too."
Alex Verdugo dishes on two straight disappointing Red Sox seasons.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) June 10, 2024
“We didn’t have the pieces that we needed. To not get them at the trade deadlines was tough … It would have been nice to see a little bit more initiative when I was there, just to try to force winning.” https://t.co/KYFtWXjYP6
Verdugo's return to Fenway has created mixed emotions among Sox fans, but most aren't inclined to celebrate him. From the outside, he didn't leave the Red Sox on the best terms, although he acknowledged that much of the hype around the tiff between him and Alex Cora was "overblown."
Fenway Park usually isn't as packed as Verdugo remembers it, Red Sox fans aren't exactly known for their kindness toward opposing teams, particularly the Yankees. Based on Fenway's recent crowds, there will likely be hundreds of New Yorkers in attendance of the coming series, but the Red Sox fans in the stands may let Verdugo hear it.
Alex Verdugo curious about fan reaction towards him when he plays the Red Sox for the first time since trade
“I’m curious to see how the fans take it, how the first greeting is, I guess,” Verdugo said. “I’m open to whatever they do ... It is gonna be a very personal series, just because I was with them for the last four years. But I’m excited about it.”
Verdugo shared that he has no bad blood toward the Red Sox organization or his former teammates and coaches. He spent four years in Boston and enjoyed all of them.
Nevertheless, Verdugo plans to play his best against the team that traded him. If he succeeds, his homecoming will sting Red Sox fans even more.