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By Shaun McAvoy
Contributing Sports Writer
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The San Diego Padres made a surprising addition to their outfield, reportedly agreeing to terms on a minor-league deal with 29-year-old outfielder Alex Verdugo on Sunday, per Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Adding Verdugo comes as a surprise for a Padres outfield that already consists of Fernando Tatis Jr., Ramón Laureano and Jackson Merrill. San Diego has plenty of depth as well with Gavin Sheets and Miguel Andujar, and even signed former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star outfielder Nick Castellanos earlier this offseason.
Verdugo will have a long road ahead of him to join the Padres after reporting to minor-league camp. The former second-round pick began his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was a key piece in the blockbuster trade with the Boston Red Sox that sent the Dodgers Mookie Betts.
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Verdugo enjoyed the most success of his career in his four seasons with the Red Sox, providing the team an above-average defender while slashing .281/.338/.424, but has struggled since leaving the team. The 29-year-old outfielder has bounced around the last two seasons, most recently appearing in 56 games last season for the Atlanta Braves.
Verdugo will have a lot to prove to the Padres this spring if he wants a chance to make the big-league squad. He struggled in limited action with the Braves last season and will need to have a rebound performance, but after years of interest, is finally joining San Diego.
Though the Padres appear flush with outfield depth, adding Verdugo is a low-risk move that could only have upside. The veteran outfielder could prove to be a solid backup this season.
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