Alex Verdugo gets the Yankees' `dawgs' out, sparking barking celebrations

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Verdugo has the New York Yankees barking.

After the Yankees opened the season with a four-game sweep in Houston, the demonstrative outfielder described his new teammates as a bunch of “dawgs.”

To celebrate both of his homers, Verdugo’s teammates have taken the compliment literally, barking loudly in the dugout like hungry canines.

“I love it, I love it,” Verdugo said after homering in Tuesday's night's 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins.

Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Anthony Rizzo & Co. are a big league-best 10-2.

“Anytime I hear the teammates barking — I got Rizzo throwing up the little ‘Arf, arf, arf,’ so it’s a lot of fun. They’re running with it and we love it,” Verdugo said after the game, wearing a gray T-shirt that read: “Bronx Dawgs."

Verdugo hit a go-ahead home run in the second inning. After clearing the short porch in right field at Yankee Stadium, Verdugo was met with a barking mob in the dugout, featuring pet sounds from Giancarlo Stanton and Rizzo.

Acquired from Boston in a rare trade between the rivals, Verdugo is hitting .220 with five RBIs. Both his home runs have put the Yankees ahead.

“It’s been fun,” Verdugo said. “To hear the crowd out there barking, to see everybody kind of running with it has been a lot of fun. Who doesn’t like to bark, right?"

Verdugo made his big league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017 and was acquired by the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts trade in February 2020. He hit .264 with 13 homers, 54 RBIs and a .745 OPS for Boston last season and was benched twice by manager Alex Cora for not hustling and arriving late to the ballpark.

“It’s been a very easy transition,” Verdugo said. “Playing against a lot of these guys for a long time, I respected their careers and what they’ve done. Coming over here, they’ve done a really good job of welcoming me and letting me be me and letting me be myself. I think just with that I’m able to show my energy and be myself.”

As for what kind of dog Verdugo would be, it depends on production in any given game.

“Oh man, I don’t know," Verdugo said. "We kind of joke every day, it’s a baby chihuahua. We start with a baby bark and the more damage you do, the bass starts going a little deeper and you start turning into a big dog. So every day it’s a little dog and if you do something, it’s a big dog.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo (24) points to the sky while approaching home base after hitting a home run in the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo (24) is congratulated by Jon Berti, center right, after hitting a home run in the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Peter K. Afriyie)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo, left, Aaron Judge, center, and Juan Soto celebrate after defeating the Miami Marlins in a baseball game, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in New York. The Yankees won 3-2. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo follows through after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

New York Yankees' Alex Verdugo gestures as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2024--

HTeaO, the nation’s leading iced tea franchise, is now proudly serving a variety of coffee beverages that contain two of Free Rein Coffee Company’s premium grade blends: Homestead and American Dirt. These coffee beverages are now available at participating HTeaO locations, alongside an array of Free Rein products and merchandise including ground coffee, coffee pods, hats, drinkware, and more.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240502834552/en/

"We're thrilled to partner with Cole Hauser and the Free Rein Coffee Company team to introduce their great coffee at many of our HTeaO locations,” said Heath Nielsen, President of HTeaO. “Free Rein is a beverage concept that deeply aligns with our western roots and community values. We fell in love with their bold yet smooth blends, and we are confident that our customers will enjoy them too.”

One of these shared values includes honoring those that have dedicated themselves to taking care of people and the community. First responders in uniform have always been served for free in HTeaO locations, providing a strong alignment with Free Rein’s ongoing commitment to ‘serve those who serve’.

HTeaO will serve Free Rein’s American Dirt (dark roast) and Homestead (medium roast) in a variety of drip, latte, iced coffee, and espresso beverages, rolling out at participating locations throughout 2024.

“I’m looking forward to the partnership with HTeaO to share our smooth coffee with bold flavors with their customers,” said Cole Hauser, founder of Free Rein Coffee Company. “Our mission at Free Rein is to Serve Those Who Serve – giving back to military, veterans, first responders, nurses and teachers – and we’re proud that HTeaO supports our same vision.”

In addition to these new offerings, HTeaO is reintroducing classics like the Marfa Morning Latte, Liquid Gold Iced Coffee, and Horchata Iced Coffee, now using Free Rein coffee products. These beloved concoctions promise to tantalize taste buds and offer a better twist to your coffee experience.

"With our unwavering dedication to quality and community, we're enthusiastic about offering this exceptional coffee to our loyal fans and customers," adds Nielsen.

HTeaO offers a range of ultra-premium tea, water, and coffee products and caters to customers both in-store and through convenient drive-thru services. Each location boasts 26 meticulously crafted flavors of sweetened and unsweetened tea, made using a proprietary water filtration system and 100% natural ingredients.

Free Rein Coffee Company can be purchased at HTeaO’s outposts, as well as online at FreeReinCoffee.com. For more information on HTeaO please visit www.HTeaO.com.

About HTeaO

HTeaO, the leading iced tea franchise in the United States, has ascended as a frontrunner within this niche, a growing category within the beverage industry. With a cost-effective, highly-attractive business model, the brand operates their own supply chain, resulting in significantly reduced costs of goods. Offering a range of ultra-premium tea, water, and coffee products, HTeaO caters to customers both in-store and through convenient drive-thru services. Each location boasts 26 meticulously crafted flavors of sweetened and unsweetened tea, made using a proprietary water filtration system and 100% natural ingredients. In January 2023, HTeaO announced a minority partnership with two Dallas-based private equity firms, Crux Capital and Trive Capital, signaling a strategic move for stable expansion. Hitting a significant milestone of 100 locations in early 2024, HTeaO is on the path of continued growth. HTeaO believes in fostering an atmosphere where all are welcoming, and takes pride in its commitment to giving back to its local communities. For more information on franchise opportunities, please visit https://hteao.com/franchise/.

About Free Rein Coffee Company:

Free Rein Coffee Company was founded by Cole Hauser and friends Karl Pfluger, Paul Anderson and Aron Marquez, to create high quality coffee that fuels folks to Get Up And Get After It and chase their dreams. From our roastery in San Angelo, TX, we’ve been slow-roasting our coffee in small batches for over 20 years, for smooth coffee that’s full of flavor. Arising from Cole’s long standing support of veteran causes, our mission is to Serve Those Who Serve, and every purchase of Free Rein Coffee helps give back to those that serve our country and communities, including military, veterans, first responders, nurses and teachers.

Free Rein Coffee is available in whole beans, ground beans, and single-serve pod formats; and ready to wear as a line of branded apparel and gear. To learn more visit http://freereincoffee.com.

HTeaO now offers a selection of premium coffee beverages featuring two distinct blends from Cole Hauser’s Free Rein Coffee Company: Homestead and American Dirt. (Photo: Business Wire)