This Red Sox Pitching Prospect Has Officially Made the Yankees Regret the Alex Verdugo Trade
Trades between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are rare, and the deal that sent Alex Verdugo from Boston to New York ahead of the 2024 season will stand as one of the few in their history.
Verdugo was acquired by Boston in the Mookie Betts trade, which became a notable disappointment after his time with the Red Sox didn’t pan out. However, sending Verdugo to the Yankees allowed the Red Sox to extract some value from the Betts trade.
In return for Verdugo, the Red Sox received three pitchers from the Yankees — Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts, and Nicholas Judice. While Boston’s previous front offices struggled with pitching development, current chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has quickly turned the situation around through trades and the MLB Draft.
One year after the Verdugo deal, the Yankees now find themselves in need of some of the depth they sent to Boston. Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery on March 11 and will miss the entire season, and Luis Gil is dealing with a lat strain that will keep him out for nearly three months.
The Yankees could benefit from adding top Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts to their rotation, given injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. Fitts, ranked as the Sox’s No. 14 prospect, would rank much higher in the Yankees’ far weaker farm system. Last season, the right-hander posted a 4.17 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 37 walks over 116.2 innings with the WooSox. He showed further improvement after making his MLB debut on September 8, posting a 1.74 ERA over four starts for Boston. Red Sox manager Alex Cora has already mentioned that Fitts could fill in for Brayan Bello in the starting rotation during the beginning of the season, while Bello is temporarily sidelined due to injury.
Marcus Stroman was initially expected to start the season in the Yankees’ bullpen but had to be moved back to the rotation after a mediocre 2024 season (4.31 ERA, 113 strikeouts, 154.2 innings). Replacing Cole’s production will be a significant challenge for the Yankees, especially with their limited starting pitching depth.
Not only could Fitts have helped the Yankees replace Cole, but they didn’t get the best production out of Verdugo last season. He posted a career-low .233/.291/.356 slash line and .647 OPS in 149 games. While his defense improved and he was a Gold Glove finalist in 2024, Yankees fans may remember him more for being the final out in the 2024 World Series than for his defensive achievements.
If Verdugo’s time in New York didn’t already make the trade look like a loss for the Yankees, Cole’s injury ensures the Red Sox come out on top in the Verdugo deal. While Boston’s injured starters may not match Cole’s production, the team’s losses are less significant due to their added rotation depth. Without Fitts in their farm system, the Yankees will have to rely on prospect Will Warren (5.91 ERA in Triple-A last season) or look to the trade market to field a full rotation, while the Red Sox can choose from a range of depth starters for their Opening Day roster.