Boston Red Sox mock team as Alex Verdugo benched for lack of hustle: "Why hustle when management didn't hustle to put a good team together?"

The Boston Red Sox benched outfielder Alex Verdugo for Thursday night's series finale against the Cleveland Guardians for exhibiting a "lack of hustle" in Wednesday's game, according to a report from the Boston Globe.

The Globe, citing an unnamed MLB source, was removed from Wednesday's eventual loss to the Guardians for not running out a play in the top of the seventh inning, and his punishment is apparently carrying on into Thursday.

The play in question came on a infield grounder off the bat of Masataka Yoshida with Verdugo at first base. The Red Sox were down 5-2 with two outs in the inning. The perception is that Verdugo did not run hard to second base in order to make a force play more difficult before the inning ended.

Boston Red Sox fans immediately mocked the decision to bench Alex Verdugo. Several pointed out the general lack of hustle from another one of the team's stars – third baseman Rafael Devers.

Devers, a .280 batter with 152 home runs and 505 RBIs over seven MLB seasons, swings the bat well but has rarely been accused of "going all out."

If the Red Sox are benching Verdugo, why aren't they benching Devers?

Alex Verdugo has been one of the highlights of a mediocre Boston Red Sox season. With the team sitting at .500 and dead last in the American League Central, Verdugo is on track for one of his better – if not best – MLB campaigns of a seven-season big league career.

He is hitting .286 with five homers, 24 RBIs and 42 runs through 59 games.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora has had a good run, guiding the team to a World Series title in his first season at the helm in 2018. He is 393-317 in four-plus seasons as manager, but fans are starting to wonder if it is time for a change.

Of course, some Red Sox fans take the matter of hustle very seriously. We're guessing that no one actually wants Verdugo cut from the squad though.

Alex Verdugo came to Boston Red Sox in Mookie Betts trade

Alex Verdugo of the Boston Red Sox runs to first base during a game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 21.

Verdugo was the main return in the trade that sent superstar Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020. Many Red Sox fans still haven't forgiven the organization for dealing away Betts.