The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees rarely engage in trades, making the deal that sent Alex Verdugo to New York before the 2024 season a notable exception.
Verdugo originally landed in Boston from the Dodgers as part of the ill-fated Mookie Betts trade, which only looked worse as his time with the Red Sox failed to pan out. However, by flipping him to the Yankees, Boston managed to salvage some value from the deal.
In return, the Red Sox acquired three pitchers—Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts, and Nicholas Judice. While Boston has historically struggled with pitching development, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow quickly revamped that aspect through trades and the draft.
Now, a year later, the Yankees might be regretting the trade. With Gerrit Cole undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 11 and Luis Gil sidelined for nearly three months with a lat strain, New York could certainly use the pitching depth they sent to Boston.
The Yankees could use top Red Sox pitching prospect Richard Fitts in their rotation after injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil
Richard Fitts, ranked as the Red Sox’s No. 14 prospect, would have placed much higher in the Yankees’ thinner farm system. The right-hander posted a 4.17 ERA with 111 strikeouts and 37 walks over 116.2 innings for Triple-A Worcester last season before making an impressive MLB debut in September.
He recorded a 1.74 ERA in four starts for Boston, and manager Alex Cora has already mentioned him as a possible fill-in for Brayan Bello, who will start the season on the IL.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ rotation is scrambling after Gerrit Cole’s Tommy John surgery. Marcus Stroman, initially slated for the bullpen, has been forced back into the rotation after a middling 2024 campaign (4.31 ERA over 154.2 innings). Finding a suitable replacement for Cole is a major challenge, given New York’s lack of starting depth.
Not only could Fitts have helped stabilize the Yankees’ rotation, but the trade also didn’t pay off offensively. Alex Verdugo struggled at the plate, posting career lows in batting average (.233), on-base percentage (.291), and OPS (.647) in 149 games.
While his defense improved—earning him a Gold Glove finalist nod—his time in New York will likely be remembered more for making the final out of the 2024 World Series than for his fielding.
If Verdugo’s underwhelming season wasn’t enough to validate Boston’s win in the trade, Cole’s injury all but seals it. While the Red Sox are dealing with their own rotation injuries, their newly acquired pitching depth softens the blow.
The Yankees, however, are left searching for answers—likely turning to Will Warren (who struggled with a 5.91 ERA in Triple-A) or the trade market to patch up their rotation while Boston enjoys the luxury of picking from multiple depth starters.