New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo recently discovered the cause of the severe irritation in his hands that he has been struggling with for years.
Verdugo, who arrived in The Bronx this season, has been dealing with blisters on his hands since the 2021 season that irritate him while hitting.
According to NJ.com’s Randy MillerThe culprit behind the skin irritation is a simple piece of equipment used by most players in the major leagues: batting gloves.
“My hands hurt,” Verdugo said. “They blister. Then it opens up and starts to crust over. It’s like super dry skin. I’ve had this since they started barking in ’21.”
Verdugo says the allergic reaction in his hands is due to two chemicals in his batting gloves: cobalt and chromium.
Alex Verdugo says his batting gloves are causing an allergic reaction on his hands
It’s unclear where the problem comes from, but one doctor suggests tattoos may be causing it
“Chromate is used in the curing of leather,” he said. “And cobalt is in the dyes.”
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Verdugo makes no apologies for his troubles at bat.
“I’ve been hitting with these hands for three years, so I can’t say it’s my hands,” Verdugo said.
“I don’t know. I cover my hands the best I can. I cover my knuckles. Every day I look like a boxer. I just want this to stop.”
According to Miller, one doctor suggested that Verdugo’s tattoos could be a cause of the inflammation because “the tattoos are made of metallic ink and you can get a tattoo allergy to the metal.
Verdugo hopes that Franklin, the company that makes his batting gloves, can come up with an alternative tool that doesn’t use the same chemicals.
Doctors, on the other hand, claim that an injection “could cure” the reaction.
According to Miller, Verdugo isn’t the only Yankee to have this problem. Jasson Dominguez, the top prospect in New York’s farm system, claims to have a similar problem.
Verdugo hopes his glovemaker, Franklin, can make him a product using different chemicals
Verdugo’s time at bat in The Bronx has been a mixed experience as the MLB season draws to a close.
He currently has ten home runs, 52 RBI and a .237 batting average in 448 at bats in 117 games.
Last season, Verdugo hit 13 home runs and 54 RBIs with the Boston Red Sox, but had a .264 batting average.
Verdugo’s batting average has dropped dramatically since he reportedly developed problems with his hands.
He had a .308 batting average in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, before dropping to .289 in 2021 when he began experiencing symptoms. From there, it fell to .280 in 2022 and then .264 in 2023.