"Nobody wants to play with those kind of players" - Red Sox great Jonathan Papelbon explains why he called Alex Verdugo a 'b***h'

Boston Red Sox legend Jonathan Papelbon has never been one to shy away from conflict or speaking his mind. This came to the forefront yet again as the six-time All-Star Closer made headlines after calling out former Boston outfielder Alex Verdugo and his comments about the team's manager, Alex Cora.

Following the deal that saw Alex Verdugo traded from the Boston Red Sox to the New York Yankees, the outfielder did not hold back on his thoughts about his former manager. It has been well documented that the pair did not see eye-to-eye during his tenure with the club, something that Verdugo addressed in an interview.

"Alex Verdugo says Aaron Boone's "savages" rant from 2019 sticks out to him. "That's something I want to see out of my head coach, man. I wanna see some fire, some fight for the guys" - @snyyankees

Verdugo's comment did not sit well with many in and around the organization, including Red Sox World Series champion Jonathan Papelbon. The outspoken Closer had several choice words for Verdugo, with the fiery pitcher calling him a "b***h" when asked about the clip.

In a recent interview with the hit baseball channel Foul Territory, Jonathan Papelbon explained why he went after Alex Verdugo. The former All-Star explained that one of his biggest issues with Verdugo was the fact that he did not hold himself accountable.

"Nobody wants to play with those kind of players," Papelbon explained, referring to Verdugo constantly showing up late to games.

"I thought it was a b***h move" @TheRealJPap58 rips Alex Verdugo on #FTLive: "Nobody wants to play with those kind of players" - @FoulTerritoryTV

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The Boston Red Sox bolstered their pitching depth in exchange for the disgruntled outfielder

Boston appeared to be more than ready to move on from the veteran outfielder, who came to the franchise in the blockbuster trade of Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The club sent Verdugo to their long-time rivals, the New York Yankees, which will only add to the historic rivalry.

In return for Alex Verdugo, the Boston Red Sox acquired three right-handed pitchers from the New York Yankees, including Richard Fitts, Greg Weissert, and Nicholas Judice. Where the three pitchers will fit in the organization remains to be seen; however, removing the disgruntled outfielder was the top priority for the team.