Yankees' Alex Verdugo responds to scorching comments from ex-Red Sox star Jonathan Papelbon

TAMPA. Fla. − At his introductory New York Yankees press event in December, Alex Verdugo praised manager Aaron Boone's “fire" and “fight" for his players.

“I think, just instead of airing people out, have their backs,’’ said Verdugo, acquired from the Boston Red Sox for a three-player package led by Yankees pitching prospect Richard Fitts.

Verdugo added that he was, “really excited for this fresh start.’’

But that praise for Boone was also a dig at Alex Cora, Verdugo's former Red Sox manager.

Jonathan Papelbon, the outspoken former Red Sox world champion closer, scorched Verdugo on Twitter, posting that “Cora has his players and teammates backs more than anyone in the game.

HOT STOVE UPDATES: MLB free agency: Ranking and tracking the top players available.

“You aired yourself out by being late, lazy and unproductive. If I played for Cora, I’m drilling this (guy), just saying."

MLB OFFSEASON GRADES: Who got an F for the winter?

Asked about Papelbon’s take, Verdugo shrugged Friday morning.

“Honestly, I don’t care about anything he says," Verdugo told The Record and NorthJersey.com. "I don’t know him personally. I’ve never even seen him around the clubhouse in the four years that I was with the Red Sox.

“I don’t feel like he has any idea what was going on the team, in house. He’s always been a guy that’s very emotional and kind of crazy in a way. He doesn’t really care. He kind of just says what he wants, with no filter to him.’’

Instances of lateness and lack of hustle last season caused Cora to bench Verdugo.

Speaking generally earlier this week, Verdugo said that “if I have a bruised heel or my shoulder’s hanging a little bit, I play through it.

"We work with what we have that day, and I try to put forth the best of myself in those circumstances.''

Yankees captain Aaron Judge, in advocating for Verdugo's acquisition, called the lefty-hitting outfielder "a gamer.

"He's a competitor. He plays hard. I've seen him play through injuries,'' said Judge. "I've known he was a little banged up even last year. I think he had a couple of things going on, but every single time we played (against) him, he was out there hustling and doing his thing.''

“Effort is one thing we can always control,'' said Verdugo earlier this week. "In certain ways, AC was hard on me, but I don’t have any hard feelings toward him.

"It’s just one of those things, toward the end, we kind of ran our course out a little bit.’’

On Friday, Verdugo said he didn’t see Papelbon's tweet originally, but was made aware of it by friends and family.

“But honestly, he has a right to his opinion, and if that’s how he feels, that’s how he feels,’’ said Verdugo.

“Hopefully, he feels better, he got his little reaction out, whatever. I don’t care.