BALTIMORE — Alex Verdugo has been a key part of a hot Yankees offense through the first six weeks of the regular season, posting an .812 OPS through May 9.
But the left fielder, who was acquired from Boston in the offseason and brought much-needed balance to the Bronx’s right-handed-heavy lineup, has mostly struggled since then.
In 58 games prior to Saturday’s 6-1 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards, Verdugo’s OPS was just .606.
Manager Aaron Boone said of Verdugo, “He’s struggled, but I think he’s doing a good job of it and I have the belief and confidence that he can be successful as a hitter.”
Orioles on Saturday. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
That’s one reason the Yankees moved Verdugo back to the top of their lineup on Saturday, after the Yankees seemed perpetually searching for a leadoff hitter to step in front of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge as of late.
But looking at recent developments, Verdugo may not be ready to turn his season around, despite encouraging words from coach Boone.
Verdugo’s batting performance has declined every year since he joined the Yankees more than three months ago.
After reaching an OPS of .804 by the end of April, Verdugo’s OPS dipped to .687 in May and .589 in June.
And in mid-July, Verdugo entered Saturday with a .563 OPS for the month.
In some ways, Verdugo’s decline is reminiscent of his season with the Red Sox a year ago, when he had an .856 OPS through his first 72 games before dropping to .620 after late June over the final 70 games of the season.
But unlike what happened this year, Verdugo was nearly devastated by a tough June and a terrible September.
The Yankees hoped batting alongside Judge, Soto and veterans like Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Rizzo would take some of the pressure off Verdugo.
Stanton and Rizzo were both injured, and Rizzo never really got a chance to shine at the plate even when healthy.
“We’ve had some periods over the last couple weeks where we felt like we were starting to get better,” Boone said. “Then we had some games where we didn’t do as well, but I feel like we’re close.”
Boone added that Verdugo’s proven track record as a contact hitter should help him get out of his slump.
“He’s in the prime of his career,” Boone said. “Time will tell.”
But the numbers tell a slightly different story.
Verdugo is expected to post the worst numbers of his career, including OPS and OPS+, and his on-base percentage will drop again, and has declined every year since 2021.
But through it all, Boone believes Verdugo’s mindset at the plate is fine.
“Just from his state of mind, I think he’s in a good place,” Boone said. “I think he’s trying and he’s angry, but at the same time, I also feel like he’s really confident that it’s going to work out.”
