There will be a moment in silence for the first game of the 2025 season for Montreal as GM Mike Walter will fondly reminiscence about his 2nd year draftee in Alex Verdugo
finally moving on from the wilderness of Montreal to the Atlanta Braves, to
being a free agent.
In a move that shocked the baseball world at the start of July, was the "Gambler" Emmanuel Clase being chased out of Cleveland by the Feds. In hurts the team in Montreal as he was a foundational draft pick, and the pick acquired from the Maine Loggers in the infamous "DJ Lemaitheu" trade, as Montreal was laughed at for trading the then-American league hitting champion for 2 first round draft picks. One of those first round draft picks was used on Clase and the other, Baseball quiet quitter, Anthony Rendon.
After a career filled with laser-line doubles and a surprise
detour north of the border, Alex Verdugo is officially hanging up the spikes.
From racking up hits in the big leagues to becoming a beloved cornerstone of
the fictional-but-forever Montreal Grizzlies, Verdugo gave
fans everything: steady bats, strong arms, and vibes. Baseball won’t be the
same without No. 99 roaming the outfield—especially in Montreal, where the
grizzlies always growled a little louder when he stepped to the plate.
Alex Verdugo's Speech from his retirement presser
“Since 2020, baseball has taken me places I never
imagined—including Montreal. I’m proud of what I did in the majors: a Gold
Glove, big regular-season swings, and years of showing up as a reliable bat and
defender. But my time with the Montreal Grizzlies will always be
special—playing hard, winning friendships, and feeling the love of a city that
adopted me like one of its own. I’ll never forget GM Mike Walter believing in
me enough to take me in the first round of the Friendship League Draft back in
2020. Montreal, thank you for giving me a second baseball home.”
Somber notes as Verdugo does not have a card in the upcoming
draft, so Montral bids "Au revoir" to number 99.
Retirement Post (Emmanuel Clase's)
The cutter has finally stopped cutting. After years of broken bats, frozen hitters, and ninth innings that ended right on time, Emmanuel Clase is officially riding off into the baseball sunset. Since 2021, he wasn’t just one of the most dominant closers in Major League Baseball—he was also the quiet force behind the Montreal Grizzlies, slamming doors and striking fear with every appearance. Montreal never needed extra innings when Clase was on the mound.
Emmanuel Clase's Speech from his retirement presser
“Baseball gave me everything—from All-Star seasons and league-leading save totals to the chance to prove that power and control can live in the same pitch. But my time with the Montreal Grizzlies will always stand out. From 2021 on, it felt like every save belonged to the city. I’ll always be grateful to GM Mike Walter for believing in me enough to take me in the first round of the Friendship League Draft in 2021. Montreal, thank you for trusting me with the last three outs.”
These cuts hurt the team deeply but had to be made. My love for the game trumped the stats Clase had in his limited usage in 2025. I do not want to be remembered as the GM who let a guy thump a button on live pitch bets, just to make a few bucks.
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