ESPN MLB Insider Wonders If This is The Beginning of the End For Alex Verdugo in Boston

ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney joined 'The Brady Farkas Show' on Thursday and discussed the impact of Alex Verdugo showing up late on Saturday before a game against the Blue Jays.

Last Saturday, Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo was benched by manager Alex Cora before a critical game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The report circulated on social media that Verdugo had been late to the clubhouse that day. While neither Verdugo or Cora acknowledged that after the game, Cora was visibly upset at the day's events.

Speaking on 'The Brady Farkas Show' on WDEV Radio on Thursday afternoon, ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney discussed the situation's severity and wondered if this could be the beginning of the end for Verdugo in Boston.

You can hear the full clip below but here is a partial transcript.

"For a player of Verdugo's experience and time in the big leagues, it's just not acceptable... This is why I think Alex Cora, you could see it in his face and hear it in his voice, was so angry over the weekend..."

The 27-year-old Verdugo was acquired from by the Red Sox in the trade that sent Mookie Betts to the Dodgers before the 2020 season. He is hitting .275 this season with eight homers and 43 RBI.

He will be a free agent after the 2024 season and will enter this offseason with one year of team control left. The Red Sox could opt to sign him to an extension, but based on Olney's thoughts, they may not want to do that.

They could look to trade him, or they could let him play out his last year.

The Red Sox take on the Royals on Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. ET.

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