2023 has been a tough year for the Red Sox. Heading into the offseason, there’s going to be roster changes, which leaves some players on thin ice.
The Boston Red Sox, by many standards, have had a rather decent season. They’re 6 games above .500 and ranked higher than the rival Yankees. But the Red Sox are in a bit of a tough situation this year. Boston is stuck in the loaded American League East, where they’re ranked fourth in the division.
That also leaves them a few games out of an AL Wild Card spot, where they’ve dropped well below their own expectations. The season would be a complete failure if they are to miss the postseason. If they are to miss the postseason, a few players could be on thin ice heading into the offseason.
Alex Verdugo finds himself on thin ice down the stretch of 2023
There’s no questioning the ability that Alex Verdugo has shown on the field as a member of the Boston Red Sox. The outfielder has shown over the course of his 4-year career in Boston that he can contribute at the top of the lineup, but recently, he’s struggled quite a bit. During the month of August, he slashed .151/.232/.247 with 3 extra base hits in over 70 at bats. So far in August, he was able to figure things out a bit better than July, but still worse than expected. On the month, he’s 8 for 33 with an OPS near .700.
The issue with Verdugo has begun with off the field issues. Recently, he was benched by Manager Alex Cora for being late to a game, which could come off as disrespectful to the team as a whole. This kind of behavior will absolutely lead to him being on the hot seat for the rest of the year. If he doesn’t get his act together, he’ll likely be a trade piece for the Red Sox in the offseason or next year, especially when you consider that his contract expires after next year. It’s safe to say that Verdugo will be on thin ice for the rest of the 2023 season.