San Diego Padres Fire Alex Verdugo

May 13, 2026, 03:32
USSports

Introduction

The San Diego Padres team told Alex Verdugo to leave. He has a bad shoulder injury.

Main Body

Alex Verdugo signed a contract in March. He did not play any games for the team. Now he needs a doctor to fix his shoulder. He cannot play for the rest of the year. Verdugo played for other teams before. He played for the Atlanta Braves, the Boston Red Sox, and the New York Yankees. He hit many home runs in Boston. The Padres have other good players. They have Nick Castellanos and Bryce Johnson. The team is still doing well in the league. They do not need Verdugo right now.

Conclusion

Alex Verdugo is now a free agent. He will have surgery on his shoulder.

Learning

🕒 The 'Past' vs. 'Now'

Look at how we talk about things that happened before and things happening today using this story.

1. Things that finished (The Past) We add -ed to the action word to show it is over.

  • Sign → Signed
  • Play → Played*

Example: "Alex Verdugo signed a contract in March."

2. Things happening now (The Present) We use the word as it is for a general fact.

  • Need → Need
  • Have → Have

Example: "He needs a doctor."

3. The 'Not' Rule To say something is not true in the past, use did not.

  • He did not play any games.

Quick Summary Table

TimeWord StyleExample
PastWord + edPlayed
NowWordNeeds

Vocabulary Learning

team (n.)
A group of people working together to achieve a common goal.
Example:The baseball team practiced every evening to improve their skills.
told (v.)
To give information or instructions to someone.
Example:The coach told the players to finish the game strong.
leave (v.)
To go away from a place or stop being part of something.
Example:She decided to leave the team after the injury.
bad (adj.)
Not good; harmful or undesirable.
Example:He had a bad shoulder injury that stopped him from playing.
shoulder (n.)
The part of the body connecting the arm to the torso.
Example:The doctor examined his shoulder before deciding on surgery.
injury (n.)
Physical harm or damage to the body.
Example:The injury kept him from playing for the rest of the year.
signed (v.)
To put one's name on a document to agree with it.
Example:He signed a contract with the new team in March.
contract (n.)
A written agreement between parties that is legally binding.
Example:The contract guaranteed him a salary for the season.
play (v.)
To participate in a game or sport.
Example:He could not play any games after the injury.
doctor (n.)
A person trained to diagnose and treat illnesses.
Example:He needed a doctor to fix his shoulder.
fix (v.)
To repair or make something better.
Example:The doctor will fix his shoulder with surgery.
cannot (modal)
Not able to do something.
Example:He cannot play for the rest of the year.
rest (n.)
A period of relaxation or inactivity.
Example:He needed rest after the injury.
year (n.)
A period of twelve months.
Example:He will not play for the rest of the year.
hit (v.)
To strike something with force.
Example:He hit many home runs while playing for the Boston Red Sox.