Red Sox’ Outfielder Alex Verdugo Says He Will “Be Ready” For 2020 MLB Season

Alex Verdugo #27 with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2019. Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images

Outfielder Alex Verdugo will be ready to make his Boston Red Sox debut once the 2020 MLB season kicks off. Verdugo recently told reporters that he recovered from a back injury that troubled him last season and is eager to get back to action.

Verdugo, who joined Red Sox during the offseason as part of the trade that sent Mookie Betts to Los Angeles Dodgers, was initially set to miss training camp and Opening Day. However, the delay due to the coronavirus pandemic gave him a chance to recover.

“Whenever the season is, I think I’ll be ready,” said Verdugo in a recent conference call with reporters. “If they say that we’re ready to go, then I’m out there.”

Alex Verdugo was in the middle of a breakthrough season in 2019, batting .294 with 12 home runs and 44 RBIs in 106 games before going down with oblique strain. During the rehab process, Verdugo suffered a stress fracture in his spine and ended up having to sit out for the rest of the season.

Verdugo, who was a second round pick in 2014, is expected to be a significant part of Boston’s outfield in the coming years and was the main asset Red Sox received in return for Betts. The 23-year-old played a total of 158 MLB games, batting .282 with 14 homers and 55 RBIs.

Jasmin can write about almost everything expect about himself. All you need to know is that he likes music, Nutella stuffed pancakes and sleeping till noon on Sundays.