Alex Verdugo #99 of the Boston Red Sox. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Red Sox Rumors: Alex Verdugo benched last week for poor work ethic
Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo got punished last Wednesday for not hustling enough against the Cleveland Guardians. Red Sox manager Alex Cora decided to bench Verdugo for the following game, the series finale versus Cleveland, but it seems as though the two have since moved on.
In Wednesday’s game, down 5-2 in the seventh, Verdugo slowed his running between first and second base and was easily thrown out. Here’s the play in question.
Immediately afterward, Cora removed Verdugo from the game.
Verdugo was back in the lineup for the Red Sox’s series against the Yankees this past weekend as well as the most recent series against the Rockies.
No hard feelings? That appears to be the takeaway from the benching incident as Verdugo himself spoke this past week about how getting taken out of the game “didn’t sit well” with him. He said that he understood Cora’s decision at the time and that he and Cora are “good” now.
Verdugo is slashing .292/.367/.447 in 65 games this season.
