Jonathan Papelbon goes scorched earth on Alex Verdugo again: ‘Don’t want him on my team’

Jonathan Papelbon has made certain things clear: He does not like Alex Verdugo and the work ethic he brings to the baseball field.

After calling Verdugo a “bitch” on X in December after the new Yankees outfielder appeared to shade his old manager, Red Sox skipper Alex Cora, Papelbon expounded on his feelings on Wednesday’s episode of “Foul Territory.”

When asked about his previous comments, the ex-closer doubled down and offered why he feels the way he does about the 27-year-old Verdugo.

“When I came up in the big leagues, you don’t leave somewhere and just blow up everybody after you leave,” Papelbon said. “Man, I got a little pissed about that. And it’s not just because I played with Alex Cora, or Alex Cora is a friend of mine. It has nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with the baseball gods and in the way baseball is. And I thought it was a bitch move. You don’t leave somewhere and then call out everybody.”

In December, after the Yankees made a trade to bring in Verdugo, he said he was initially “mad” about the move.

Last season, he was reportedly benched by Cora for arriving late for a game in August after being sat for a game two months before that for lack of hustle.

In December, Verdugo praised Yankees manager Aaron Boone while seemingly throwing some shade on his old boss.

“I’m very, very excited to work with Aaron [Boone],” Verdugo said after joining the Bronx Bombers. “I’ve seen the way he’s had his players’ backs. The one that sticks out to me is when he said ‘These guys are savages,’ and he’s yelling at the umpire. 

“That’s something I want to see out of my head coach, man. I want to see some fire, some fight for the guys. I think just instead of airing people out, have their backs. I’m really excited for this fresh start and just to kind of get with the guys and really just change the narrative, man. Just go out there, play hard, work hard and just have fun.”

That’s when Papelbon took to X, saying if he pitched for Cora he would be “drilling this bitch.”

“Look man, I did 30 games with NESN last year, and I’m doing like pregame. And this dude would come at the same time that I showed up to the field,” Papelbon added Wednesday on “Foul Territory.” “In some, like, Charger, rev his engine up — ‘Look everybody I’m here at the park. Look at me.’ You know what I mean? And you’re late. Nobody wants to play with those players. Nobody wants to play with them.”

Papelbon, who saved 368 games in his career and won the 2007 World Series with the Red Sox, said Boston did not have a player in the clubhouse last year that could say “quit this s–t.”

“He more or less rode himself out of town,” Papelbon added.

Later, when Papelbon was asked if someone on the Yankees could get Verdugo into shape and getting to the park on time.

“I do know one thing, I don’t want him on my team,” “I don’t want somebody who shows up late every day, who doesn’t care, that really plays for himself. … Can that work in New York? Yeah, it can work.”

Verdugo, originally acquired by the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts blockbuster, hit .281/.338/.424 with 43 homers in four seasons with Boston.

He now joins a Yankees outfield with Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Trent Grisham and Giancarlo Stanton.