Red Sox Immediately Give Away Brock Holt's No. 12 to Alex Verdugo

As if Boston's controversial shipping of Mookie Betts to Los Angeles could get any more divisive, right?

After a week's worth of dilly-dallying, the Betts move to Hollywood is finally official, with Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, and Connor Wong headed to BoSox camp.

And in case the loss of the best player in franchise history wasn't enough, cult hero Brock Holt got his valor stolen on Day 1 by Verdugo as well. Though it's seemed unlikely for Holt to return to Boston-on-a-budget all offseason long, things seem all but written in stone now that Verdugo has Holt's digits.

Big news from the Red Sox clubhouse: Alex Verdugo has been given No. 12, previously worn by Brock Holt.
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) February 12, 2020

Has any good player been so immediately disliked by their fan base for so many non-baseball reasons?

Verdugo steps into the immediate pressure of replacing Betts -- an impossible task -- and though he has already gotten his load lessened somewhat by the addition of Kevin Pillar, he's now going to remind fans of their beloved Brockstar every time he takes the field at Fenway, absorbing a second burden out of nowhere.

I cannot believe it’s Spring Training and Brock Holt still doesn’t have a team yet. Utility man who can play multiple INF and OF positions and hit, and his son is the best hitter in baseball. Makes no sense to me.
— Gabrielle (@gfstarr1) February 11, 2020

And oh, right: there's still a fairly unresolved assault allegation hanging over his head.

Best of luck. Those Fenway fans are famously unforgiving.