Jasson Dominguez or Alex Verdugo? Yankees have an issue brewing in left field

NEW YORK – There are four regular season games until the playoffs, and the Yankees are still uncertain about how they’ll play it in left field.

Alex Verdugo just might get his regular gig back, due to his steady defense after another Jasson Dominguez adventure Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

In a lengthy first inning with several tough breaks against starter Marcus Stroman, Dominguez played Colton Cowser’s catchable fly ball near the corner, by the wall, into a two-run base hit.

On a windy night, “I lost it at the end, but there’s no excuse. That ball has to be caught,’’ Dominguez said after the Baltimore Orioles’ 9-7 win, denying the Yanks yet another chance at clinching the AL East.

That could happen with a Yankee win on Thursday, and you’d suspect Verdugo will be in left field and Jose Trevino might be behind the plate to sub for the slumping Austin Wells (3-for-38 in his last 11 games) with ace Gerrit Cole on the mound.

In the offense vs. defense argument to have Dominguez’s upside with the bat over Verdugo’s high groundout rate but reliable glove and excellent left field range – especially at Yankee Stadium – manager Aaron Boone seemed to keep an open mind.

“Just try to take it all in, what gives you the best chance to win on a given night,’’ said Boone. “We know (Dominguez) is capable out there,’’ as well as showing better signs at the plate.

“We’ll continue to pay attention to all of it.’’

Dominguez, 21, is a center fielder by trade, and you can forgive some growing pains in adapting to left field at the Stadium, but that’s three misplays by Dominguez in the outfield since recent West Coast trip.

“He’s missed some plays that he should make,’’ said Boone, who also factored the wind into Dominguez’s Wednesday night misplay, near the line.

“That’s a challenging chance, but one we’ve got to make, too,’’ said Boone, adding that “I liked how he moved after that, he didn’t seem uptight or anything.’’

Dominguez hasn’t lacked for confidence. He also hasn’t played a ton of games in left field, though, “I feel I can do it,’’ he said. “Obviously, there’s things I need to work on, but I feel like with more work, I will get there.’’

The problem is, the Yankees need him to get there quickly.

In a short playoff series, one misplay could be critical, and Aaron Judge had just lamented a costly Gleyber Torres baserunning gaffe in Tuesday’s 5-3 loss to Baltimore in stark terms.

“When it comes down to it, stuff like that can’t happen,’’ Judge said. “Can’t keep shooting ourselves in the foot with mistakes like that on the basepaths.’’

Or in the field, for that matter.

“It’s a tough (play),’’ Judge said Wednesday of Dominguez’s misjudgment. “He knows he should make that play, but you’ve got to learn from it and come back tomorrow.’’

Used to having more room to operate in center field, adjusting to the corners is key and “I don’t think I’m that far’’ away from becoming a more natural left fielder.

“Just more reps, more games, I think that’s what I need.’’

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jasson Dominguez or Alex Verdugo? Yankees have an issue brewing in left field