In rare Yankees-Red Sox trade, outfielder Verdugo goes to New York and pitcher Weissert to Boston

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Acquired in a rare trade between the Yankees and rival Red Sox, Alex Verdugo can figure on being a starting corner outfielder for New York. “He’s actually been a guy that we’ve talked about now for, for a while,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Wednesday, a day after New York obtained Verdugo for right-handers Greg Weissert, Richard Fitts and Nicholas Judice. “I feel like there’s an edge he plays the game with.” A 27-year-old left-handed hitter, Verdugo batted.264 with 13 homers, 54 RBIs and a.745 OPS this year in his fourth season with the Red Sox. “I allow myself to dream on a lot of things,” Boone said, “I always start to imagine what it could look like.’ Verdugo was benched twice last season by Boston manager Alex Cora; on June 8 for not hustling between first and second on a grounder a night earlier and on Aug. 5 for arriving late at the ballpark. The most notable deals involved the Yankees’ 1919 purchase of Babe Ruth, New York getting pitcher Sparky Lyle in 1972 for first baseman Danny Cater and infielder Mario Guerrero, and Boston receiving Elston Howard — the Yankees’ first Black player and the 1963 AL MVP — in 1967 for pitchers Ron Klimkowski and Pete Magrini.