Jasson Domínguez’s early-season splits have been excessive.
Getting into a pivotal at-bat in Tuesday evening’s sixth inning, the switch-hitting Domínguez was simply 1-for-20 in opposition to left-handed pitchers, in comparison with 12-for-30 in opposition to righties.
However the greatest blow within the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Kansas Metropolis Royals on Jackie Robinson Day got here courtesy of Domínguez — hitting from the suitable facet.
Domínguez’s go-ahead three-run double in opposition to left-handed Royals reliever Angel Zerpa capped a four-run rally for the Yankees (10-7), giving Max Fried the assist he wanted to select up his first win within the Bronx.
“It feels really nice,” Domínguez mentioned.
The Yankees have been shut down for the primary 5 innings by Royals right-hander Michael Wacha and trailed, 2-0, going into the underside of the sixth.
Aaron Decide led off that inning with an infield single, however Wacha struck out the following two batters. Wacha abruptly unraveled from there, issuing back-to-back five-pitch walks to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe to load the bases.
That spelled the tip of Wacha’s day, as Zerpa entered to face lefty-swinging Austin Wells with Domínguez on deck.
Zerpa walked Wells on 4 pitches, pushing throughout the Yankees’ first run. Domínguez then ripped a 1-2 fastball down the left-field line, clearing the bases to provide the Yankees a 4-2 lead.
“I’ve been having a little bit of a struggle from the right side, but lately I feel I’ve been doing something different,” Domínguez mentioned, explaining he has been “just getting more reps and being more on time.”
Domínguez exited within the high of the seventh, with Trent Grisham taking up in heart subject and Cody Bellinger sliding over to left. The transfer was not a normal defensive alternative, however quite the results of Domínguez shedding his contacts when the backswing on his game-winning hit struck his helmet.
The 22-year-old Domínguez additionally singled twice in opposition to Wacha as a left-handed batter and completed 3-for-3. It was the second three-hit sport of his profession, whereas his three RBI set a brand new private greatest.
“He never seems panicked or rushed, and that’s one of the things you always like about him,” supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned. “You know the situation is not too big for him.”
Decide’s rally-starting single, in the meantime, marked his second hit in three at-bats in opposition to Wacha, whom he entered simply 1-for-21 in opposition to in his profession, together with the playoffs.
The Yankees proceed to get sturdy returns from Fried, who improved to 3-0 by means of 4 begins after signing an eight-year, $218 million contract within the offseason.
Fried restricted the Royals (8-10) to 2 runs over 6.2 innings with seven strikeouts.
The left-hander started the sport with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, however MJ Melendez broke the scoreless tie with a house run to steer off the third. The Royals tacked on one other run in that inning when Maikel Garcia reached on a two-out infield single and Bobby Witt Jr. adopted with an RBI double.
However Fried, with a fastball that ranged from 91-97 mph and an efficient curveball, saved Kansas Metropolis off the board from there. He elicited 12 swings and misses and now sports activities a stellar 1.88 ERA.
“The joke in high school was I was 85 to 95 [mph],” Fried mentioned. “Being able to vary speeds and being able to have different velocities, that’s just understanding that hitting is timing. It’s rhythm and timing, and if you can try to disrupt that and throw a couple of different speeds on a fastball, hopefully I can get some weak contact.”
The Yankees stay undefeated in video games began by Fried, who has picked up the win in every of the final three. His first two wins as a Yankee got here on the street.
“I’ll turn to [bench coach] Brad [Ausmus] and be like, ‘Man, I would not like to hit off this guy,’” Boone mentioned of Fried. “The fastball’s cutting. He can add to it. He can rip a 95, 97 [mph] at times. The sinker’s really good. I thought, overall, he was really good.”
Luke Weaver hurled 1.1 scoreless innings in reduction, whereas Devin Williams pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to select up his third save as a Yankee and his second in as many nights.
The 4-2 remaining rating was maybe poetic, contemplating each participant in Tuesday’s sport wore #42 in celebration of Jackie Robinson Day.
Tuesday marked the 78th anniversary of Robinson, who wore #42, debuting for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and turning into the primary Black participant of MLB’s fashionable period.
This week’s three-game collection is a rematch of final yr’s ALDS, which the Yankees received in 4 video games.
The Yankees received Monday’s collection opener, 4-1, and can go for the sweep Wednesday evening. Proper-hander Clarke Schmidt is about to make his season debut in his return from proper rotator cuff tendonitis, whereas left-hander Kris Bubic (2-1, 0.96 ERA) is scheduled to begin for Kansas Metropolis.
Initially Revealed: April 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM EDT
