Boston Red Sox: Alex Verdugo only player you can trust

Despite the Boston Red Sox going 1-9 in the last ten games and the offense being virtually non-existent, Alex Verdugo has become a constant in an otherwise streaky offense.

Coming into the season if you would have told me that the most consistent hitter in the Boston Red Sox lineup was going to be Alex Verdugo I probably would have laughed in your face.

That’s not a knock on Verdugo but the Sox offense is led by stars such as Rafael Devers, Xander Bogaerts, and J.D. Martinez, so I would’ve been shocked.

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Yet for the most part, the Red Sox as a whole have been a disappointment. Most disappointing has been the three stars mentioned above as Devers is hitting just .231, Bogaerts is at .263 and Martinez is at .244, with a combined 9 home runs combined. Not the numbers Sox fans were hoping for this year.

But one of the few bright spots has been Verdugo. Having been acquired in the Mookie Betts trade this offseason, fans didn’t know what to expect out of the youngster.

But he has been a breath of fresh air with his energy, passion, and consistent performance.

Verdugo is currently on a ten-game hitting streak, dating back to August 10th. He is currently hitting .284 on the season but has put up a .307 mark during his last 10 games. This month has been masterful for “Dugie” as he has reached base safely in 14 out of 16 games he has hit in.

Batting average isn’t the only thing that is up for Verdugo this season. His on base percentage and slugging percentage are both up, and of course that means he currently has a career-high on base plus slugging. Reaching marks of .356, .531, and .886 respectively, all of which are above league average.

Now I know what you’re thinking. He’s only played 23 games this year, that could just be a fluke. I don’t think so.

At this point Verdugo has shown consistent improvement each year he has been in the majors. And on top of that, he has already hit 5 long balls this year, which is 41% of what he hit last year in just about 22% of the games he’s played.

Red Sox fans were eager to see Verdugo in action this year, as he is the replacement for the former MVP Betts. After a slow start he has caught fire and has made fans feel a little bit better about trading away Betts.

Ultimately, Verdugo probably won’t go throughout his career on a constant hit streak, but things are looking up. In an otherwise dismal season so far in 2020 for the Red Sox, Verdugo has been a consistent strong point in the lineup and has provided Red Sox Nation with some hope for the future.