The Yankees have stated that they belief Jasson Domínguez in left discipline and that they’re happy with the progress he’s made within the nook.
Nonetheless, the pure heart fielder, who made just a few errors in left final September and this spring, didn’t play full video games in three of his first 4 contests this season. Domínguez’s solely full recreation previous to Wednesday got here on March 29, a day during which he served because the Yankees’ designated hitter.
Domínguez began in left the opposite three video games, solely to get replaced by Trent Grisham within the late innings every time. Grisham took over in heart, whereas Cody Bellinger slid over to left as Domínguez headed to the bench.
“Over time, I feel like I won’t do that because I do feel like he’s going to get to a point to where he continues to develop, continues to get more and more comfortable with reps out there,” Aaron Boone stated earlier than Wednesday’s recreation towards the Diamondbacks, which noticed Domínguez begin in left. “To where my expectation is that he becomes an outstanding defensive left fielder.”
Boone beforehand stated that he’s been impressed with Domínguez’s defensive improvement, significantly his routes. However on Opening Day, a 4-2 Yankees win, Bellinger stated that he knew going into the day that the plan was for him to shift to left if the sport was shut towards the top. On March 30, the Yankees changed Domínguez whereas main 7-3 earlier than successful 12-3. Then, on Tuesday, Domínguez exited with a 4-2 lead after hitting his first homer of the season earlier within the recreation, however the Yankees in the end misplaced to Arizona, 7-5.
Solely 22, Domínguez nonetheless hasn’t gotten many profession reps in left, as accidents restricted his availability within the minors final season earlier than a September audition within the majors.
Requested about weighing substituting for Domínguez vs. getting him one other at-bat in tight video games, Boone stated it’s “an important part of this process, making sure Jasson continues to develop in the best possible way.” The supervisor went on to notice that Grisham, “a really good player” who’s taking part in at a “really high level through his first several games,” is the person changing Domínguez.
Grisham went 2-for-6 in his first eight plate appearances this season, however the switch-hitting Domínguez provides extra offensive upside than the veteran, who’s a .214/.315/.381 profession hitter.
Boone has thought of that substituting Domínguez for Grisham creates a left-handed lane on the backside of the order — because of this the Yankees would profit from a right-handed bench bat higher than Pablo Reyes and Oswald Peraza — as Grisham adopted Austin Wells and preceded Ben Rice upon getting into on Tuesday. The trio needed to face D’backs lefty A.J. Puk within the ninth.
Whereas Rice homered, Reyes pinch-hit for Cabrera — a switch-hitter who is best towards right-handers — and ended the sport with a lineout.
“That’s part of our team right now,” Boone stated of the lefty-lane created by changing Domínguez. “You can’t have it all. The bottom line is we gotta try and leverage as best we can. There’s certain nights you’re gonna have a lead. We’re gonna hopefully, more often than not, close that out, and defense is a part of that.”
High Prospect Utilizing New Bats
Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ third-best prospect on MLB.com, instructed reporters at Double-A Somerset that he plans on utilizing a torpedo bat after making an attempt one towards the top of spring coaching.
“They showed me that my barrel was like 20th percentile in barrel size of bats,” Jones stated Tuesday. “So it’s like, ‘Why am I using a bat with a tiny barrel when I can maximize it?’ It’s obvious for me to start using a bigger barrel.”
Jones, 23, is again at Double-A after spending all the 2024 season there. He hit .259/.336/.452 with 17 homers, 78 RBI and 25 homers, however he struck out a whopping 200 instances and struggled with consistency month to month.
He’s hoping a brand new bat helps with that.
“I don’t want to have months where I absolutely suck,” he stated.
Leadoff Stays Fluid
Whereas Wells batted first for the Yankees on Opening Day, Paul Goldschmidt has occupied the spot in each recreation since.
Boone stated that the job remains to be a fluid scenario on Wednesday. He added that he had Goldschmidt hitting first on Wednesday for lineup steadiness and since Arizona starter Zac Gallen, a righty, has slightly-reverse splits.
