Jasson Domínguez failed to catch a routine flyball for the third time in the last week on Wednesday, but that didn’t stop Aaron Boone from starting the 21-year-old in left field over Alex Verdugo for the second straight day on Thursday.
With the Yankees trying to avoid a sweep and Corbin Burnes pitching for the Orioles, Boone went with the better bat. However, he said it hasn’t been easy choosing between the rookie Domínguez and veteran Verdugo with the regular season winding down.
“I’m really trying to let things declare themselves here in this final week,” Boone said. “Obviously, we’ll have tough decisions to make as we get into the playoffs. I feel like both guys bring a lot to the table. So it’s a tough call, frankly, night in and night out.”
It’s become clear what each outfielder does and does not presently offer.
While Domínguez only hit .200/.294/.356 with two homers, four RBI and four stolen bases over his first 14 big league games, there’s no debating that the top prospect comes with more offensive upside. However, his defense has been a recurring problem. Such was the case Wednesday, when he whiffed on a flyball with a 95% catch probability. Two runs scored on the blunder, and the Yankees lost, 9-7.
“I have no excuse,” Domínguez said Wednesday. “That ball has to be caught 100 percent of the time.”
Jasson Dominguez continues to struggle in the outfield. 2-0 Orioles pic.twitter.com/h1gW45k8NM
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 25, 2024
Verdugo is the superior defender, even if some metrics have cooled on him as the season has progressed. However, he has just as many homers as Domínguez over a stretch that dates back to July 7. Verdugo also has a .596 OPS over a 112-game stretch that dates back to May 8.
With both players having obvious pros and cons, what the Yankees are doing in left field has become a daily point of intrigue. That won’t change in the playoffs, as Boone said “it’s possible” the team rotates the two based on matchups.
“Not necessarily,” Boone said when asked if he’d prefer to have a set starter. “I feel like, in this case with Alex and Jasson, both guys can really help us win games in whatever role that may be, whether they’re playing every inning of every game or whether it’s splitting it however. I think both have a chance to be impactful.”
However, Boone added that defense will be “a big factor” in the postseason. That would be to Verdugo’s advantage.
“Outs need to be outs,” Boone said. “Things are going to happen. Guys are going to make a mistake here and there, of course, but the defense is a huge part of it.”
Outs have not consistently been outs when hit to Domínguez. A natural center fielder, he’s made mistakes in the middle and left. The latter position is still somewhat new to him and expansive at Yankee Stadium.
“I haven’t played a ton of games in left field,” Domínguez said. “I feel I can do it. Obviously, there’s things that I need to work on, but I feel like with more work, I will get there.”
Boone noted that the Yankees would have loved to get Domínguez more reps in left at Triple-A this year, but the neophyte has had a “disjointed season.” Domínguez only played in 44 Triple-A games this year after suffering an oblique injury following his return from UCL surgery.
Domínguez has totaled just 58 games in left as a minor leaguer. Thursday was his ninth as a big leaguer.
“He doesn’t have those reps ideally that you want for any player,” Boone acknowledged, but the manager is still high on The Martian’s defensive abilities now and going forward because he’s a “premium athlete.”
Then again, Boone also knows that he already has a steady glove in Verdugo.
“Yeah, [Domínguez] had a couple struggles here and a couple mistakes, but there’s no reason to think that he shouldn’t be good out there either,” Boone said. “That said, Dugie’s been tremendous out there, and that matters.”
