When the Boston Red Sox lost Mookie Betts in a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers, fans in Boston thought that the sky was falling, the world was ending and baseball had lost all of its hope. The best way to show your support for your favorite baseball club is to go to a game, so be sure to check out the schedule (such as the Brewers’ schedule) as soon as possible.
But a little over a month into the 2020 campaign, the player they got in return for Mookie Betts has turned heads, anchored the ball club and become a fan favorite. Alex Verdugo rocks a look and hits a ball like no other outfielder in Boston ever has.
Verdugo’s character and personality are not only on display when he is screaming after a home run robbery, jumping up and down when his teammates hit a home run or yelling from the dugout for a big hit, but it is also on display with his style.
Sporting a thick headband that only allows the very top of his head to be revealed. Verdugo clearly prioritizes how he looks and he pulls it off quite well. He’s got the baggy uniform, gold chains and of course, the staple headband.
Verdugo is a part of a generation of Major League Baseball players that are changing the game for the better. They are wearing the character on their sleeve and making baseball more fun. Verdugo is clearly at the front and center of all of it.
So far in Boston, the 24-year old outfielder from Tucson, Arizona is hitting .295 with five home runs and 12 runs batted in. He has played locked down defense in the outfield. After recording his league-leading seventh putout, he had more than 27 out of the 30 teams in MLB.
Verdugo is entering his third season in the big leagues but he has had the spotlight on him for quite a while. The Arizona native originally committed to play baseball for Tracey Smith at Arizona State University. But in 2014, the would-be Sun Devil was drafted in the second round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
It was a no-brainer for Verdugo and his first action still got to come in Arizona. He played for the Dodgers in the Arizona Fall League and was an immediate star. He hit .347 and made the AFL All-Star and All-Rookie squads.
Verdugo’s minor league career has been riddled with All-Star appearances as well. He was in All-Star in both Double-A and Triple-A. With the Oklahoma City Dodgers he impressed scouts and teams so much that he was chosen to play in the All-Star Futures Game.
Verdugo finally made his Major League debut in 2017 with the Dodgers and became a fan favorite very quickly. Now in Boston, that legacy lives on and it won’t be long before Verdugo makes his first MLB All-Star team. Halfway through 2020, Verdugo is already a top-10 hitter in batting average amongst all outfielders playing in the American League.
He may not be the most household name in the game, but very soon he could be.
