NEW YORK — The back corner of the New York Yankees’ dugout belonged to slumping left fielder Alex Verudgo on Thursday. After each disappointing at-bat, it’s where he sought refuge, away from most of his teammates. Sometimes, he tossed his shin guard and batting gloves in frustration. Other times, he sat by himself, his arms crossed.
Verdugo’s long-running struggles appeared to be weighing on him as much as ever.
“We feel like we’re grinding, man,” Verdugo said after going hitless in four at-bats in the Yankees’ 6-0 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Yankee Stadium.
“But at the end of the day, we’re winning,” he added. “That’s all that matters. Take it for what it is, but we’re definitely grinding. Going through (expletive) we haven’t gone through in my whole career. Like I said, I try not to think about it too much. We’re out here winning and that’s the main thing that I care about.”
On Thursday, Aaron Judge crushed yet another home run, giving him an American League-leading 48 and putting him on pace to hit 61. Two years ago, Judge set the AL single-season record with 62 home runs.
Ace Gerrit Cole went six scoreless innings, allowing just a hit, and three Yankees relievers (Tim Hill, Luke Weaver, Mike Tonkin) closed it out without incident.
Giancarlo Stanton also crushed a three-run blast in the fifth inning, giving him 21 on the year.
It all took the spotlight away from Verdugo, who seemed to show his frustration in much of what he did on the field.
At times, he gestured with his hands after making another out. He looked tense studying film via iPad. He barely jogged out a soft groundout to second base in the fifth inning.
“I got some (expletive) that we understand that we’ve got to fix and address, and we’ll get there,” Verdugo said.
In 122 games, Verdugo was on pace to post career worsts in batting average (.229), on-base percentage (.288), slugging percentage (.353) and in OPS (.641). He hasn’t homered in 35 games, or since July 6.
His last multi-hit game was Aug. 10. Since then, he’s hit .083 (3-for-36) with eight strikeouts.
“Pretty frustrated,” he said. “Missing a lot of pitches that I (expletive) normally hit. Can’t go to left field the way I normally do and every time that I do hit the ball hard and make a good swing, it seems to be right at somebody or somebody makes a play. Right now, we’re wearing it. But like I said, we’ve got the team (expletive) doing their job, picking me up and at least I’m doing good defensively. On that side of it, I’m doing what I can do to help out the team, but we’ve got to stay positive here, man. It’s a grind and it’s one of those things that, we’re close. It seems like we’re so far away, but we’re close.”
Aaron Boone with more on Gerrit Cole, Aaron Judge, Alex Verdugo, Giancarlo Stanton, and so much more. pic.twitter.com/jCdr5WhrTK
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On Sunday, the Yankees called up top outfield prospect Jasson Domínguez as their 27th man in the Little League Classic vs. the Detroit Tigers. They started Domínguez in left field over Verdugo against lefty ace Tarik Skubal.
Last September, the Yankees envisioned the possibility of Domínguez as their starting left fielder for the 2024 season until he needed Tommy John surgery just eight games into his first MLB stint. That prompted the Yankees to make a winter trade with the Boston Red Sox for Verdugo, whom the Yankees hoped would provide a solid contact skills in addition to improved defense. For a while, Verdugo did just that, posting a .812 OPS through hist first 34 games this year and energizing the clubhouse with good vibes.
But since June 15, Verdugo had posted just a 46 wRC+, the second-worst among qualified hitters behind only the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ke’Bryan Hayes.
“Clearly,” manager Aaron Boone said, “going through a little bit of a tough stretch, and (on Wednesday) he has a big walk (and then) smokes a ball to center. So he’s not getting rewarded for some of the good at-bats. But. yeah. it’s on us to make sure we lift him up and get him going because he is an important part to the length of our lineup, and what he brings to the outfield defensively and how good a player this guy is when he’s going well. That’s on us to make sure we’re supporting him the best way we can.”
Verdugo was asked if perhaps one big hit could change his fortunes.
“I think it’s just trusting the process, really. I don’t think it goes down to just one anymore,” he said. “Like I said, I already felt where I’ve taken numerous swings where it could have been that one (big hit), right? I hit a line drive to center (Wednesday). Hit a 105 mph ball to Andres (Giménez), the second baseman, and he friggin’ makes a play and misses it and gets me out.
“It’s just little things. But at the end of the day, man, we’re just going to keep grinding, doing what we’re going to do. But all I care about is winning. So it doesn’t matter.”
(Photo of Alex Verdugo: Luke Hales / Getty Images)
