Papelbon has not finished criticizing Alex Verdugo.
The Red Sox World Series champion from 2007 was asked to elaborate on his X post from late December, in which he called out the New York Yankees outfielder as a “(expletive).” The player joined “Foul Territory” on Wednesday. Papelbon later blasted Red Sox manager Alex Cora after Verdugo was traded to the Yankees, saying that Verdugo was “late, lazy, and unproductive” and that he should be pounded with a pitch.
The six-time All-Star gave a more detailed illustration of how Verdugo may irritate teammates.
“Look, man, last year I worked 30 games with NESN, and I was doing pregame. At the same time I would arrive at the field in a Charger, he would rev up his engine and say, ‘Look, everybody, I’m here at the park, look at me.'”
“You’re running behind schedule. Those guys are the last people anyone wants to play with. Sadly, they didn’t always have the guy in the Red Sox clubhouse to tell Alex to stop being such a (expletive). We don’t need you if you want to be that way because we’re all in this together.
“He got off the town on horseback.”
Papelbon claimed that his criticism of Verdugo—who the Yankees acquired on December 5 in exchange for three minor-league pitchers—has nothing to do with his friendship with Cora and is entirely focused on the proper behavior expected of baseball players. In an apparent jab at Cora, Verdugo presented Yankees manager Aaron Boone to the New York media by praising him for having “fire” and “fight” rather than “airing people out.”
Playing seven of his twelve seasons in the majors with the Red Sox, Papelbon remarked, “you don’t leave somewhere and just blow up everybody after you leave.” I became somewhat enraged over that.