Verdugo joins elite company with THIRD straight leadoff homer

BOSTON — Alex Verdugo has taken instantaneous offense to a different degree.

On Saturday, Verdugo turned the primary participant in Red Sox historical past to membership a leadoff homer in three straight video games.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Verdugo is the third participant since 1900 to hit a leadoff homer in three or extra consecutive video games.

Braves star Ronald Acuña Jr. carried out the three-peat of leadoff blasts in 2018, opening each video games of a doubleheader in opposition to the Marlins with a homer on Aug. 13 and likewise main off the Aug. 14 contest with a dinger.  

Brady Anderson holds the document by mashing 4 straight leadoff homers from April 18-21, 1996.

After a cold July, Verdugo has come to life in August. Four of his 5 homers this month have been leadoff pictures.

While a lot of the eye at Fenway Park this weekend has been targeted on Mookie Betts returning to play in opposition to the Red Sox for the primary time, Verdugo — who was the important thing acquisition piece in that commerce for Boston — can also be enjoying in opposition to the Dodgers for the primary time.

Verdugo admitted on Friday evening he has further motivation to carry out properly in opposition to the crew that traded him.

“Anybody who gets traded, they always want to do good against their former team,” stated Verdugo. “I do not assume anyone’s gonna sit right here and lie about it. It’s simply, I need to do good in opposition to that crew, and I need to allow them to know.”