JUST NOW: Yankees manager Aaron Boone declined Jasson Dominguez from Yankees game with unbelievable reasons
Yankees manager Aaron Boone explained why Jasson Dominguez wasn’t called up before Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals, emphasizing that the main reason was the availability of playing time.
“He’s definitely part of the conversation and will continue to be moving forward,” Boone said (via SNY). “When he comes up here, you want him playing every day.”
Dominguez, 21, is the Yankees’ top prospect and ranked 16th overall according to MLB.com’s prospect rankings. He likely would have been the team’s starting outfielder on Opening Day if not for a UCL injury late last season. This season, he also dealt with an oblique strain in mid-June that sidelined him for a month.
These injuries led the Yankees to acquire Alex Verdugo in the offseason. Verdugo started strong but has struggled significantly in recent months. Since June 16, he has posted the lowest OPS (.550) and wRC+ (57) among all qualified hitters in the American League.
Boone briefly discussed Verdugo’s season, attributing some of his struggles to bad luck.
“I think he’s been a bit unlucky this year,” Boone noted (via SNY). “When you dig deeper, his contact quality is consistent with what he’s done throughout his career.”
Last month, Dominguez was called up as the 27th man for the Little League Classic against the Detroit Tigers, where he batted fifth and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He was sent back down immediately after the game, and it was expected he would return when rosters expanded, given Verdugo’s ongoing slump.
However, Dominguez wasn’t called up, leaving the Yankees reliant on Verdugo breaking out of his extended slump. Verdugo was in the lineup and batting ninth on Sunday against the Cardinals.
It’s uncertain when, or if, Dominguez will be called up, as the Yankees seem focused on preserving his rookie status, which could grant them an additional draft pick if he wins the AL Rookie of The Year award in 2025.
The Yankees may need Dominguez to add depth to their lineup for the postseason, so the urgency with which they handle Verdugo’s struggles will be telling.