When September rolled around, Yankee fans were waiting in anticipation and anxiousness for Jasson Dominguez to get called up to the big leagues and become the powerful asset the Yankees needed to plow through the rest of the regular season. When going through the names of the callups, Dominguez was nowhere to be found, leaving fans scratching their heads as to why that is.
Judge and Soto Or Nothing
The New York Yankees have recently faced challenges in securing victories without the significant contributions of Aaron Judge's outstanding hitting . As of September 5th, Judge has been experiencing a slump, failing to hit a home run in his last nine games.
Judge has a slash line of .323/.455/.702 and an OPS of 1.157, a dominant offensive season for the New York slugger. While this slump is typically not a concern for Judge, expecting to return to form, it poses a dilemma for New York.
The Yankees do have other offensive weapons with Juan Soto (.295/.423/.592), Jazz Chisholm Jr . (.333/.370/.637), and Austin Wells (.251/.341/.433), but the rest of the lineup has been lackluster, especially in the first base and left field position
The Yankees must not depend solely on Judge and Soto to carry the team. Other players need to improve their performances on both offense and defense. The team is dealing with several noticeable issues in its batting lineup and pitching staff, with left field as one of its top concerns.
First Baseman Issues
The first basemen's performance has been subpar, especially DJ LeMaheiu. LeMaheiu has played awfully since his return in late May, posting a slash line of .204/.269/.259 with only two home runs in 67 games.
According to Fangraphs , the first basemen have been dragging down New York's offense, with Anthony Rizzo, Ben Rice, and LeMaheiu having a combined wRC+ of 74 and a -1.3 in WAR.
If this is the roster they are going to utilize in the postseason, it may not take them far in October and, if changes aren't made, land them back in being eliminated in the ALCS.
Verdugo Has Lost "The Dog" In Himself
Jasson Dominguez was expected to occupy the left field position, but Alex Verdugo has consistently filled it. Verdugo's performance has been subpar , posting a batting line of .235/.293/.359, representing his lowest statistics since his rookie season.
Recent fan criticism has also targeted Verdugo's effort, particularly regarding his hustle to first base during Wednesday's rubber matchup against the Texas Rangers. In his defense, manager Aaron Boone stated that Verdugo is "beat up," although Verdugo has maintained that he is okay.
Verdugo's perceived lack of hustle and status as the least productive left fielder in Major League Baseball are significant issues. As reported by CBS Sports , Verdugo holds an OPS+ of 83 and a WAR of .09, ranking 25th in OPS and 23rd in WAR among the 26 qualifying outfielders for batting titles.
These statistics suggest that Verdugo should be benched in favor of promoting Dominguez to the major leagues; however, the Yankees have opted to place him in Triple-A.
So Why Not Call Up Jasson Dominguez?
Aaron Boone recently elaborated on the decision not to call up Dominguez, indicating that it was a "tough call." and stressed the importance of continuing to play after his oblique injury but said the decision to call up Dominguez could change in the coming days or weeks.
Boone expressed confidence in Verdugo's potential, describing him as a gold-glove caliber player on the brink of getting hot at the plate. While it is customary for managers to support their players, Verdugo has yet to play at the expected level that the Bronx Bombers and its fans are looking for, and the statistics show that Verdugo cannot be the everyday left fielder.
Integrating Jasson Dominguez into the lineup is the most straightforward decision for the organization moving forward, but the Yankees chose otherwise.
A Yankee Powerhouse In The Making
Jasson Dominguez is among the most highly touted prospects in the Yankees' farm system. He rakes home runs and has a powerful swing similar to Judge, Juan Soto, and Giancarlo Stanton. In his first at-bat in September 2023 against the Houston Astros, Dominguez hit a home run off of Justin Verlander, which sent fans into a frenzy and excited over what Dominguez could bring to the team.
Dominguez continued to hit three home runs in his next seven games before going down with an elbow injury. Within those eight games, Dominguez had a .258/.303/.677 slash line with an OPS of .980.
After recovering from Tommy John surgery in the offseason, Dominguez returned to play in Triple-A in mid-May until another injury in June put Dominguez at a setback. Dominguez returned a month later and is playing exceptionally well in Triple-A, posting a slash line of .302/.358/.472 with an OPS of .830 and six home runs.
Is Dominguez The Key To Postseason Success?
Placing Verdugo on the bench and putting up Dominguez will bolster the Bronx Bombers' offense and make them a devastating offensive lineup. Dominguez's youthful energy can help with the chemistry and create a lineup that can have managers cower in fear.
Although Dominguez was not chosen to join the Yankees' everyday lineup, he should not be counted out as a potential asset. The Yankees have an additional weapon just itching to play in the big leagues, and his impact will be felt if Dominguez gets some postseason play.
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