Alex Verdugo’s sad reality as Yankees flop can’t land MLB offer

The 2024 MLB season ended with Alex Verdugo striking out against Walker Buehler to secure the Dodgers’ World Series triumph over the Yankees last October.

Five months later and one week away from league-wide Opening Day, no MLB teams apparently want anything to do with Verdugo.

The Yankees flop has not received one major-league offer yet following an awful lone season in The Bronx, according to The Athletic.

“I am surprised,” reigning MVP Aaron Judge told the outlet. “He’s such a great player. He brings so much value and versatility to a team.”

That Verdugo, 28, has yet to receive a guaranteed-money offer may seem surprising, but there are several factors working against him.

Alex Verdugo hitting during the World Series.

The largest one is, well, his poor play.

Verdugo posted a career-worst .647 OPS last year with the Yankees, tallying an 83 OPS+ that ranked 17 points below league average.

Alex Verdugo hit .208 in the playoffs.

After he punctuated a promising start with a 3-for-5 showing in his first game back at Fenway Park on June 14 after four seasons with the Red Sox, Verdugo slashed just .205/.266/.287 with .554 OPS the rest of the season.

He tallied four homers and 20 RBIs in his final 80 games.

The Yankees — perhaps stubbornly — kept starting Verdugo despite the limited results, even affording him 48 postseason at-bats in which he hit .208.

Verdugo did play left field well for the Yankees, which is notable since it can be tough to man that spacious part of Yankee Stadium.

Verdugo made $8.7 million last season and there may be a discrepancy between how teams view him and how he feels he should be compensated.

It’s possible that minor-league offers, which don’t include the veteran’s minimum, may have been discussed, but that would represent a massive pay cut.

Verdugo may also be seeking a regular role after playing in almost every game over the last five years.

There’s also the notable trend that three of MLB’s top franchises in the Dodgers, Red Sox and now the Yankees have moved on from him, with the first two having no issues sending him elsewhere.

Alex Verdugo awaits a major-league offer.

Verdugo clashed with Boston’s Alex Cora on the way out, and Cora is regarded as one of the better managers in the sport.

There are still eight days until MLB Opening Day in the States — after the Dodgers took both games of the Tokyo Series from the Cubs this week — and things could change due to injuries and other roster issues but, for now, Verdugo will wait to see if anything changes.

Fellow 2024 Yankee Anthony Rizzo is also not yet on a roster, though it’s easier to see why in that case due to his age (35), declining play and injury history in recent years.