New York Yankees outfielder projected to sign with A's

Jason Burke | 2 Hours Ago

Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo (24) hits a single during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The A's will be looking for players to take some of their money this offseason, with the team moving into a minor-league facility for the next three or four seasons. The Athletic's Jim Bowden just released his list of the top 45 free agents in baseball and where he thinks they could end up, and surprisingly, the A's got a mention.

Way down the list at No. 39, New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo is projected for a two-year, $26 million deal, with the A's, Yankees, Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners all being fits for the 28-year-old.

Verdugo has played exclusively in the largest markets in the game, starting off in Los Angeles, before heading to Boston in the Mookie Betts deal, and then to New York this past winter. Ending up in Sacramento would be a big shift.

Verdugo played in 149 games this season, primarily as the Yankee left fielder, which is also a spot that the A's could use an upgrade in their own lineup. Being a left-hander doesn't hurt either. In his time on the field this year, he hit .233 with a .291 OBP and a .647 OPS, good for an 83 OPS+. This was easily the worst season he's had in the big leagues to date, hence the short-term deal and affordable contract that's being projected.

While the A's would be hoping for the offensive numbers to tick up if they were to sign him, the defense that Verdugo has provided has been decent. He finished 2024 with a +1 in Outs Above Average (OAA) in left field, and his arm value and arm strength rank in the 96th and 94th percentiles. With the A's set to play in an intimate ballpark in 2025, they may be able to persuade a bat like Verdugo that is looking for a bounce back season to sign a short-term deal with them while Sutter Health Park inflates some of their counting stats.