Boston Red Sox outfielder Alex Verdugo says he regrets making critical comments of Alek Manoah on a podcast earlier this year and hopes to have a conversation with the Toronto Blue Jays starter to clear the air.
Verdugo made his latest comments about the 2022 All-Star to a Boston reporter after Tuesday’s game between the teams at Fenway Park, ahead of Manoah’s first start against the Red Sox this year on Wednesday.
“I regret saying what I did, at least to the media, because it’s something I think I should have just, man-to-man, said it to him,” Verdugo said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. “I feel like at some point now, I would like to have a conversation with him. I’d like to talk to him. Just me and him. Kind of clear out some air, just be professional about it.
“Obviously, he’s one of those guys who’s a good pitcher and he carries a chip on his shoulder. We’re just going to see what happens. For me, it’s not going to be to go up there and try to get emotional with it.”
On an appearance on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast with Rob Bradford on April 4, Verdugo said “I think Alek Manoah goes about it the wrong way, 100 per cent.
“… You can find videos of him, footage of him in triple-A going like this to hitters. Last year, telling Franchy (Cordero) and Bobby (Dalbec) like go sit, (expletive) like that and looking right at them.
“So it’s like, (expletive) like that just pisses me off,” Verdugo added. “It’s not the way it should be played. It should be played like you’re celebrating it with your team, you’re not (expletive) disrespecting another player who is… at the end of the day we’re just trying to compete, that’s it.”
When told of Verdugo’s comments last month, Manoah told The Toronto Sun: “Coming from him? I don’t give an (expletive).”
On Tuesday, Verdugo told Cotillo he was not taking back his comments — but wished he hadn’t gone to the media with them.
“I talked to a lot of Blue Jays, a lot of guys in general who all say he’s a good teammate, a good guy. Just when he’s on the field, he’s a different person with a different mindset out there. Part of me, I can respect that and I understand that’s what he might need to get amped up. At the same time, this game is hard, man. This game will humble you. There are a lot of things and I feel like if you go about it more the right way, you’re going to get more respect, not only from fans but from opposing players.”
Verdugo says he hopes to chat with Manoah before the Blue Jays leave town.
“I’m not going in there being like, ‘Oh, man, we’ve got this beef going’ because at the end of the day, I want to have a 1-on-1 and I want to talk to him and just kind of clear the air on my side,” Verdugo said. “If he wants to accept it, then we accept it. If not, then we can continue doing what we are. I ain’t got nothing against him as a person. It’s just more some of the antics that I’ve seen against us that have rubbed me the wrong way.”
Verdugo is 7-for-16 (.438 average) with a homer and three RBI against Manoah.
The outfielder is off to a strong start this year, slashing .317/.381/.524 with five homers and 18 RBI.
Manoah has been better after a shaky start to the year. He’s 1-1 with a 4.88 ERA for the season.
Verdugo doesn’t expect any fireworks Wednesday.
“I really don’t care about getting hit,” Verdugo said. “(Getting) hit is just extra on-base percentage. I don’t think it’s going to get to that. I don’t think we’re at that kind of beef. I still expect everybody to be professional and to go about it the right way, for him to try to make his pitches and get me out.”
Watch the Blue Jays-Red Sox game on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT on Sportsnet ONE or Sportsnet NOW.
