This story was excerpted from Bryan Hoch’s Yankees Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.
NEW YORK — Jasson Domínguez shrugged, providing a wan smile. The Yankees’ prime prospect stood within the visiting clubhouse of Bowman Discipline in Williamsport, Pa., final month, crossing yet one more Minor League park on his travelogue as he made a one-day cameo as a giant leaguer for the Little League Traditional.
What, Domínguez was requested, did he consider normal supervisor Brian Cashman’s latest feedback about there being “no lane” for Domínguez to stay within the Majors?
“I don’t have any ideas about that, actually, as a result of that’s a factor that I can’t management,” Domínguez stated. “So it’s what it’s. I simply concentrate on taking part in and doing my job. That half isn’t my job.”
On the time, it appeared a lock that The Martian’s return may very well be marked on the calendar, with rosters increasing from 26 to twenty-eight gamers on Sept. 1. But that date handed with Domínguez remaining within the Minors, because the 21-year-old was not included among the many Bombers’ flurry of roster strikes on Sunday.
A roster spot that would have been used to advertise the switch-hitting Domínguez was as a substitute crammed by Duke Ellis, a speedy outfielder claimed off waivers from the Mariners on Aug. 27.
“He’ll stay within the dialog transferring ahead,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated of Domínguez. “When he comes up right here, we’re going to wish to play him day-after-day, so he’ll proceed to stay within the dialog.”
As Boone indicated, Domínguez can nonetheless be promoted at any time this month — as a result of he’s on the 40-man roster, he will help the membership of their efforts to safe a playoff spot and could be eligible to take part within the postseason.
However as Boone and Cashman have each stated, they don’t intend to deliver up Domínguez until he can play usually, therefore Cashman’s remark about there being “no lane.” As Cashman informed MLB Community Radio final month, “It’s good to know he’s there. He’s simply knocking rust off and ready for his alternative if it comes.”
Extra pointedly, they aren’t ready to supply Domínguez at-bats if it means sitting left fielder Alex Verdugo, although that decision deserves examination.
Verdugo had two hits in Sunday’s 14-7 loss to the Cardinals and is 11-for-30 with two extra-base hits in his final eight video games. Since June 15, nonetheless, Verdugo has batted simply .202 (49-for-243) with a .547 OPS. Boone stated that Verdugo is “succesful” offensively and that he believes the outfielder has “been a bit of unfortunate this yr” on the plate.
“You scratch beneath and it’s consistent with what he’s finished most of his profession, so far as contact high quality,” Boone stated. “He can actually defend in left. If he can get it going, speaking about [adding] size to the lineup, he actually can present that.”
One other piece of the behind-the-scenes calculus may contain Domínguez’s rookie standing. Domínguez will retain that standing for 2025, offered he doesn’t exceed 130 profession at-bats (he has 35 proper now). Preserving him a rookie in ’25 might allow the Yankees to internet a Draft choose after the primary spherical in ’26 if Domínguez wins the 2025 AL Rookie of the 12 months Award.
That’s quite a lot of ifs, and as Paul O’Neill famous on Sunday’s YES Community broadcast, there isn’t any assure that Domínguez will return and rake — as he did in an all-too-brief style of The Present final season, together with a homer off the Astros’ Justin Verlander on his first large league swing, earlier than requiring season-ending surgical procedure to restore a torn proper ulnar collateral ligament.
Although Domínguez has hit .307/.367/.490 with 9 homers and 28 RBIs in 52 Minor League video games this season whereas rebounding from an indirect pressure that value him greater than a month, the Little League Traditional didn’t go properly.
Batting fifth in opposition to the Tigers, Domínguez went hitless, although Boone stated that was probably as a result of “robust draw” of going up in opposition to AL Cy Younger Award contender Tarik Skubal. On protection, Domínguez additionally double-clutched on the sport’s last play because the Yanks had been walked off.
Irrespective of. The Yankees’ 28-man roster could be higher with Domínguez, and accordingly, so would their possibilities of profitable championship No. 28.
“It was a troublesome name proper now,” Boone stated. “However that doesn’t imply that doesn’t change in a pair days, every week, two weeks, no matter it’s. However it’s necessary for him to proceed to play proper now.”
