The Yankees are having a strong season but are just behind the Orioles in the AL East.
With only seven weeks left, every game counts for both teams. The Yankees have two star outfielders in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto, while Alex Verdugo has been decent but not outstanding.
Verdugo’s performance has been up and down, hitting .239/.299/.374 overall but improving to .315/.381/.426 since late July. If the Yankees want to make a change, they could call up Jasson Domínguez from Triple-A. Domínguez missed much of the season due to injuries but is now back playing.
Domínguez’s Current Status:
Even though Domínguez showed promise with four homers in his MLB debut last September, GM Brian Cashman says there are no plans to replace Verdugo yet. “He’s healthy… waiting for his chance,” Cashman said on MLB Network Radio.
Due to injuries, Domínguez has played only 34 minor league games this year with 141 plate appearances and hasn’t performed well lately. He’s hitting just .163/.234/.209 since returning from an oblique injury.
Fans might think it’s risky to rely on someone who’s not fully back in form yet.
The Yankees could bring up Domínguez when rosters expand on Sept. 1, but they have other injured veterans like Jon Berti and Anthony Rizzo who might need those spots more urgently.
Judge and Soto are secure in their positions, and Giancarlo Stanton is currently healthy, making the DH spot unavailable. To get Domínguez into the lineup would mean replacing Verdugo, who has actually been better than Domínguez recently.
Trent Grisham is another option; he’s been solid defensively and hitting well since June 1st with a .239/.333/.469 line including six home runs. Some argue he should get more playing time over Verdugo rather than calling up Domínguez right now.
Baseball America ranked Domínguez as the No. 7 prospect midseason despite his setbacks this year. He’s had a strong minor league career so far with a .309/.372/.455 line at Triple-A before his UCL injury last year that required Tommy John surgery.
What do you think? Should they call up Dominguez or stick with Verdugo?
