MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES VS DODGERS

October 30, 2024

Alex Verdugo

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. Yesterday's supportive electrifying energy that you found in the stadium, I haven't witnessed it since the Mexico game in Japan, World Baseball Classic. How much of that really affects you guys? And being that it's the last game at the stadium, how much do you think it's going to reflect?

ALEX VERDUGO: Are you asking about just the energy of the stadium and how we as players feed off of it?

Q. Correct.

ALEX VERDUGO: I think for us the stadium -- like home-field advantage is kind of like that. They're bringing the noise, they're always rooting for us, and they're kind of nonstop on the opposing team. When you're an opposing team coming here, you feel that presence.

When we went to L.A., the fans were all over us. You feel it. But at the end of the day, you separate it and still go play and kind of handle your game the way it is.

But like the home crowd, the noise, man, firing you up, the vibrations in the field, you can feel that. It definitely gets some peaked adrenaline.

Q. Alex, you guys faced Flaherty in Game 1 of this series. What do you take away from facing him in that game, and how do you guys adjust going into tonight's game?

ALEX VERDUGO: I think we saw him with his best stuff, throwing as hard as he ever has. Kind of saw at least the game plan that he had on each one of us. He might deviate from it slightly, maybe change things in certain counts. But I feel like at the same time he's going to attack to his strengths and what they are and kind of stick to his game plan.

For us, we got a good look at him. He got the better half of us for a good part of that game. So we've got to kind of just work our bats and get some runs early and just have better at-bats. I think we'll be good, though. We've seen him. It's always easier seeing a person a second time.

Q. How do you guys feel mentally and physically after winning Game 4 last night?

ALEX VERDUGO: We feel good. Obviously that was kind of like the big thing, just win one. And it felt good just to have a little comeback win and then keep the lead, give it to our bullpen. Obviously add on late so we could get some other guys in there.

I think everybody's -- we all want to play seven. We're physically prepared for this. We're mentally prepared to play seven. We've just got to handle business each day now.

Q. Did it take a lot of pressure off you guys?

ALEX VERDUGO: We're still down, right? There's still going to be pressure. At the end of the day, I think it helped to win one, feel the offense kind of click, and feel things go right for us. And we're going to carry that momentum into today.

Q. Before coming to the Bronx, you had had a few back-and-forths with fans in the outfield. What do you just make of that play yesterday where the fan kind of reached into Mookie's glove and tried to take the ball out?

ALEX VERDUGO: I saw it. It was maybe one of the more extreme, kind of trying to rip a ball out. But at the same time, that's kind of New York. I feel like that's what you expect out here. You expect some unique things.

At the end of the day, I didn't feel it was too serious. I think Mookie kind of shook it off too. That's just kind of the passion, I guess, New Yorkers have.

Q. Along those same lines, as an opposing player who used to come in here, did you find this as an intimidating place to play?

ALEX VERDUGO: For me, I enjoyed it. I really loved coming here. I felt like it could be intimidating if you took it that way, but it was just more like exhilarating. Just a lot of emotions kind of just where you know if you don't perform, they're going to let you have it. If you do perform, they're still going to boo you, still going to do all the chants.

It's just kind of that you live in the moment thing.

Q. As far as the fans involved in that play last night, they're not allowed back in for the World Series. Does that sound like a right measure for a punishment?

ALEX VERDUGO: I don't know. It is what it is, right? I wouldn't have any problem if they were here today or if they weren't. At the end of the day, that's what MLB deemed they wanted to do, and they've got to show some type of, I guess, disciplinary act. So it is what it is.

Q. Alex, you obviously played for the Dodgers, you played for the Red Sox, two of the flagship franchises. Now you've spent this year here. What's it been like for you to be a Yankee and to play the full season here?

ALEX VERDUGO: Honestly it's been awesome. Man, it's been really cool. I know it wasn't my best personal year in offense. We kind of grinded through some things.

But as far as teammates and being with the guys, it's been my favorite team I've ever played for. I really do enjoy it. I think there would be some stuff that, you know, maybe one day we can come back, if it's not next year, maybe it's another year. But would like to come back and just show the type of player that I really am. I think we've seen it defensively, seen it at times offensively, but I'm usually a lot more consistent.

It will be a goal to kind of just in the off-season work harder and always try to get better.

Q. So you have thought about your future a little bit and would like to be back here?

ALEX VERDUGO: Yeah, we all have, right? We all kind of do. Just got to play it how it is. At the end of the day, I'm focused on winning a World Series, trying to win today and then win the next. Whatever happens happens.

Q. What would it be like -- you're approaching your first time in free agency. What is that like as you're nearing a first like that?

ALEX VERDUGO: I'd say it's exciting. To have kind of one of my career worst year offensively going into it is a bummer. Again, I'm in the World Series. I feel really blessed I'm on this team playing for a winning organization and contributing.

It is what it is. Free agency, that will handle itself. At the end of the day, we focus on today.

Q. Austin said that his mood at least last night was whatever, let's just go have some fun. How pervasive do you think that mood is in the clubhouse, and how do you think it impacted the outcome last night and what you guys are trying to do now?

ALEX VERDUGO: I think that was kind of a big thing, just kind of play relaxed a little bit. I thought we played good the first game. Obviously tough luck. Then second game we got down and just really were flat. Same with the third game.

Just to kind of get rid of all those maybe fears or doubts or whatever it was where it's like, man, what happens if we don't win the first one or second one. It's like, dude, we went down 0-3. The worst kind of already happened. Put all that aside. It's kind of like put your big boy pants on. Let's go. We've got to show something. We've got to go perform and act like -- you know, just go play hard.

I think that's what Wellsy is kind of saying when you have fun and just let loose. We all looked at pictures of us when we were in Little League, it's like look at these little kids. You're playing on the biggest stage right now, but still have fun. I think that was the message, and it was awesome.

Q. You looked at pictures of yourselves?

ALEX VERDUGO: We just had a little -- it was like one picture with everybody in it, and it just said have fun. You know what I mean?