Former Dodgers star Alex Verdugo enters World Series with mixed emotions but extra motivated for Yankees win

The archetypal transportation of the highly anticipated World Series matchup betwixt the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers is scheduled for contiguous astatine 8:08 p.m. ET.

Alex Verdugo volition enactment connected pinstripes this evening, but the Yankees star's jog to the Dodger Stadium outfield volition apt bring backmost memories of his clip with the Dodgers.

Verdugo made his MLB debut with the Dodgers successful 2017. By each accounts, Verdugo's three-year tally with the Dodgers was successful. But the squad included him successful a commercialized that sent him to the Boston Red Sox successful speech for Mookie Betts successful 2020.

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New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo connected the tract during a workout astatine Dodger Stadium successful Los Angeles Oct. 24, 2024. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)

"I was upset. I was beauteous wide I didn’t privation to spell anywhere," Verdugo told reporters Thursday. "I understood it from a concern facet and each that, but I was beauteous wounded by it."

MLB GREAT DETAILS WHERE YANKEES HAVE ADVANTAGE OVER DODGERS IN WORLD SERIES

Looking backmost connected however things transpired a fewer years agone could supply Verdugo immoderate other information for the World Series.

"You privation to win, and you privation to benignant of amusement them, ‘Hey, you guys got escaped of me, and possibly it wasn’t the close decision,’" helium said. 

While Verdugo has competed against the Dodgers aggregate times since the trade, Friday night's crippled volition beryllium his archetypal with a visiting squad astatine Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles Dodgers halfway fielder Alex Verdugo hits a treble successful the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies astatine Coors Field successful Denver, Colo., July 31, 2019. (Isaiah J. Downing/USA Today Sports)

Verdugo acknowledged helium volition person mixed emotions Friday.

"It’s peculiar to yet get backmost here, to play successful beforehand of this crowd," helium said. "This instrumentality basal showed maine thing but love. … It’s going to consciousness bully to travel retired here, play successful beforehand of the Dodgers assemblage again. Just consciousness that atmosphere. That was 1 happening astir playing here.

"I spell done this successful my caput a fewer times. Part of maine wants to get a small spot of, ‘Hey, man, invited back,’ and past it’s like, ‘All right, it’s the World Series, we’re going to boo you.’ We’ll see. At the extremity of the day, I inactive emotion this palace. Nothing is going to alteration that — that feeling erstwhile I was here." 

New York Yankees near fielder Alex Verdugo answers questions connected media time anterior to Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers astatine Dodger Stadium successful Los Angeles Oct. 24, 2024. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Imagn Images)

After a four-year stint with the Red Sox, Verdugo landed with the Yankees successful December.

Verdugo overcame a sluggish September and has played good lately. He expressed appreciation for the Yankees sticking with him during his struggles and credited manager Aaron Boone for giving him the assurance helium needed.

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"Obviously, for me, I thought it was the close decision," the 28-year-old Verdugo said. "For [Boone] to benignant of instrumentality with his guys and spell with acquisition was large for me. He gave maine the assurance I needed to travel through, get a mates of large hits present and determination and a mates of cardinal RBIs."

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