'They really sent me to the rivals?’ Alex Verdugo on his sudden switch to the Yankees

NEW YORK – Imagine being encamped in one end of baseball’s biggest rivalry, then suddenly told you’ve been traded to the other side.

“I was hot,’’ said Alex Verdugo, recalling his genuine, initial anger at being dealt to the Yankees from the Boston Red Sox earlier this month.

“They really sent me to the rivals?’’

And then his cell phone began buzzing with calls from new teammates Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Anthony Rizzo and (a few days later) Juan Soto.

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“These guys all just started reaching out, welcoming me to the team and it just got me excited,’’ said Verdugo, expected to be the Yankees’ regular left fielder, with Judge in center and Soto in right.

As Verdugo said multiple times during his Thursday introduction to the Bronx, “it feels like a fresh start.’’

Verdugo jumps into life as a Yankee

Like Soto, the lefty hitting Verdugo enters his free agent walk year in 2024, but he’s quickly become dedicated to the pinstripes.

“I shaved right away,’’ as per organizational facial hair rules. “I work out every day in a Yankees hat, just to kind of see what it looks on me, how it feels.’’

And the Yankees faithful who despised Verdugo might be glad to know he’s prepared to win them over.

“I feed off it. I like when people talk,’’ said Verdugo, who appreciated the support of Dodgers and Red Sox fans at his previous stops.

“(They) made it super fun,’’ and he expects the same at Yankee Stadium, where he was once nailed in the back by a ball thrown from the stands.

“It’s part of that rivalry…you feed into it,’’ said Verdugo. “You really take it to heart. It’s a little bit of a switch up, but I’m very excited to take that same energy toward the Red Sox now.’’

Verdugo on gaining maturity, living in the Bronx spotlight

With Verdugo’s plus defense at the corners and contact skills comes some recent baggage, having been benched by Red Sox manager Alex Cora for episodes of lateness and a lack of hustle.

Verdugo, who turns 28 in May, spoke of his gaining maturity and focus. “It toughens me up, makes me realize some things,’’ said Verdugo, who wasn’t sure exactly what caused his past missteps.

“There’s a lot of expectations and when you’re not really meeting them, you start bumping heads a little bit,’’ said Verdugo, who segued into his admiration for Yanks manager Aaron Boone and “how he has his players’ back.’’

Verdugo enjoyed Boone’s celebrated “savages in the box’’ quote and his occasional tirades at umpires.

“You want to see some fire’’ out of a manager, as well feeling the passion in the stands.

“The mindset in New York, the way people talk – they’re a little bit more aggressive, and kind of straight to the point,’’ said Verdugo, who grew up in Tucson. “I like that. I enjoy it.’’

And when the Bronx fans “see me play every day…I think they’ll like what they see.’’

“When they seem me play every day…I think they’ll like what they see.''

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Transitioning from the Red Sox

In the standings, Verdugo’s Boston experience did not fulfill his expectations.

“It was definitely frustrating…you don’t see Fenway empty like that too much,’’ Verdugo said. “For me, it felt like more of a rebuilding process.’’

During his time, “we needed a couple key pieces and we never went for it.’’

As a Yankee, Verdugo might be hitting sixth or seventh; Boone is still tinkering with lineup ideas, including how to combo Soto and Judge.

Over the last three seasons in Boston, Verdugo has averaged 147games, batting .278 with 12 homers, 64 RBI and a .751 OPS per season.

“I think there's more in there. I don't necessarily think he's reached his potential,’’ said Boone, anticipating that Verdugo’s power numbers might increase at Yankee Stadium.

Famously involved in the trade that sent Mookie Betts to L.A., Verdugo said he’d like to prove some naysayers wrong, but ultimately, “I want to win the World Series.’’

“I want to reach (my) potential,’’ said Verdugo, eager to tap into conversations with the likes of Judge and Soto to learn their routines.

“Just feel like having more stability is something that I need.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Alex Verdugo talks trade to Yankees, Red Sox rivalry