"We've got to try and get that guy" - Aaron Judge says he has been pushing Yankees to acquire Alex Verdugo 'for years'
Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees are looking to put their disappointing 2023 campaign behind them and usher in a new era of the franchise. This is a sentiment that has seemingly been shared by the front office as well, given the roster overhaul done by the club this offseason.
Thanks to several notable moves made by the New York Yankees and General Manager Brian Cashman, Aaron Judge will have a number of new teammates this upcoming season. One of those new teammates will be former Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo.
"Judge says that he's been pushing the Yankees to get Alex Verdugo for "years" - @TalkinYanks
The trade was something that the Yankees' captain was 100% in favor of. "I've been preaching for years," Aaron Judge told reporters, claiming that the competitive edge that Alex Verdugo plays with is something he admires. It will be interesting to see how Verdugo adjusts to his new squad, however, it seems that he already has the backing of the club's biggest star.
The polarizing outfielder was acquired by the Yankees this offseason in a trade with the Red Sox. In order to land Alex Verdugo, New York sent a trio of pitchers to Boston: Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice. Although Verdugo has had a public falling out with Red Sox manager Alex Cora, this did not stop the Bronx Bombers from landing the 27-year-old.
Alex Verdugo is not the only new addition that will be lining up next to Aaron Judge this season
After missing the postseason entirely last season, the New York Yankees made a number of moves to improve the roster around Judge. The 2022 American League MVP will have a number of new stars around him besides just Alex Verdugo. Some of the Yankees' most notable additions this offseason include Juan Soto, Marcus Stroman, and Trent Grisham.
"Aaron Judge was asked if he'll try to convince Juan Soto to stay with the Yankees: "The fans, when we show up on April 5, will do a lot of convincing, too. I think we'll be good." - @snyyankees
While these players will certainly help the club this upcoming season, GM Brian Cashman has not ruled out that the team could continue to add to their pitching staff. One of the names most heavily linked to the Yankees has been former San Diego Padres ace Blake Snell. If the club can reach an agreement with him, it could go a long way towards the Yankees' first World Series title since 2009.