Padres tried to squeeze value out of a former Red Sox outfielder and got burned by bad timing

Alex Verdugo was a late addition to the San Diego Padres' fold this spring, signing well after camp had started. The flier made sense at the time -- the team was adding pretty much any veteran competitor for the bench it could find -- but it was always a longshot that he'd leapfrog Nick Castellanos, Miguel Andujar, or even Ty France for a roster spot with the Friars.

Unfortunately, he never even got off the ground with his new team, playing in just two spring training games before being shut down due to a shoulder injury. He was reassigned to minor-league camp and was expected to play in Triple-A El Paso once healthy, but that never materialized.

Instead, Verdugo's injury only worsened. Now, he has been released by the Padres, following news that he'll require season-ending surgery.

Barring a miracle, the 30-year-old outfielder may be out of chances to continue pursuing major-league action.

Alex Verdugo's failed tenure with Padres may mark unceremonious swan song to his career

Verdugo began his career as a top prospect in the Los Angeles Dodgers' organization (what else is new), ultimately getting shipped to Boston as the centerpiece in the ill-fated Mookie Betts trade. He had a strong four-year tenure with the Red Sox (8.1 WAR) before making the World Series in 2024 with the New York Yankees, but his struggles that season, especially in the playoffs, doomed his free agency tour from the start.

He wound up signing a below-market, one-year deal with the Braves, but his effort was so poor in Atlanta (.585 OPS) that he was released in early July and didn't find a home for the rest of the season.

Those hoping that Verdugo would be a platoon menace in San Diego were always grasping at straws, but this injury news might be the final nail in the coffin for a guy who has been struggling to find major-league playing time recently. He hasn't even been a league-average hitter since his final season in Boston.

Disappointing though that is, even a healthy Verdugo would have been hard-pressed to make this Padres roster. Miguel Andujar (126 wRC+) has settled nicely into the DH role, Ty France (.791 OPS) is in the midst of an offensive renaissance, and Nick Castellanos has at least offered a few clutch hits to the equation throughout his slump.

Not every minor-league signing and buy-low deal is going to work out. It's a shame that Verdugo's body didn't hold up enough to grant him a chance to impress the Friars' brass, but it's hard to complain too much about the luck the team has gotten from their bench contingent this year.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow