Jonathan Papelbon isn’t happy with Alex Verdugo.
The newly acquired Yankee outfielder seemingly shaded Red Sox manager Alex Cora while gushing about his new skipper, Aaron Boone, during an interview with YES Network this week, prompting a Papelbon response.
“I’m very, very excited to work with Aaron [Boone],” Verdugo said. “I’ve seen the way he’s had his players’ backs. The one that sticks out to me is when he said ‘These guys are savages,’ and he’s yelling at the umpire.
“That’s something I want to see out of my head coach, man. I want to see some fire, some fight for the guys. I think just instead of airing people out, have their backs. I’m really excited for this fresh start and just to kind of get with the guys and really just change the narrative, man. Just go out there, play hard, work hard and just have fun.”
On Aug. 5, Cora benched Verdugo for showing up late to Fenway Park for a game.
He had previously been benched for a lack of hustle.
The outfielder had been at odds with Red Sox brass since at least last season.
The outspoken ex-Red Sox closer then called out Verdugo, who didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Cora during his tenure in Beantown, on social media, using a few choice words.
“Verdugo I mean Vertigo is a bitch. Cora has his players and teammates backs more than anyone in the game,” Papelbon wrote on X. “You aired yourself out by being late, lazy and unproductive. If I played for Cora I’m drilling this bitch, just saying.”
The Yankees traded for Verdugo earlier this month in exchange for reliever Greg Weissert and minor league pitchers Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice.
Verdugo, 27, is expected to join Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in a revamped Yankee outfield that also added Trent Grisham in the San Diego trade.
Verdugo hit .264 with a .745 OPS in 142 games with Boston in 2023.
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