Alex Verdugo is in the organization — just not in the big-league clubhouse yet.
This is the most Padres move possible in 2026: a low-cost bet that feels like it's about depth, but also reads like a front office still hunting for a specific type of roster solution. Verdugo agreed to a minor-league deal and is headed to minor-league camp, meaning he's got real work to do just to force the conversation.
Padres bring in Alex Verdugo on a volatile rebound bet
The appeal is obvious, even if the last two seasons have tried to bury it. For a while, Verdugo was a steady, contact-first lefty outfielder — good enough to be a regular on contenders, annoying enough to pitchers because he wouldn't go away. From 2019-23, he hit .283 with a .770 OPS, and he was legitimately a problem for right-handed pitching, batting .292 with an .812 OPS in that span.
But here's the uncomfortable part: the version San Diego is buying is not the 2019-23 version. The last two seasons have been a slog — .233 with a .647 OPS for the Yankees in 2024, then a brief 2025 stint with Atlanta where he hit .239 with a .585 OPS in 56 games before getting released in July. Even the "kills righties" card has gotten dull lately (.241/.655 OPS vs right-handers over the past two seasons).
So why do it? Because it costs almost nothing to find out if Verdugo still has a functional big-league bat hiding under the recent mess — and because the Padres, more than most teams, love turning spring into an open audition. They've had talks with him before and even floated trade discussions in prior years, so this isn't random. It's a delayed "fine, let's see it up close."
If Verdugo hits in camp, he instantly becomes the kind of left-handed bench/outfield option contenders crave. If he doesn't, the Padres shrug, stash him, and move on. The risk is smaller than the headline, but the roster ripple could get real if the old Verdugo shows up.