Manager Brian Cashman said having Alex Verdugo over Jasson Dominguez gives the New York Yankees ‘the best chance to win’
CHICAGO — The New York Yankees They have a lot of work to do, he said. gerente general Brian Cashman. At least for now, Jason Dominguez is going to do his job in the minors.
New York is competing with the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East lead, and Dominguez, 21, is one of the team’s top prospects. But Dominguez is playing for the team Triple Ain Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, while Alex Verdugo remains in it left field with the Yankees.
Alex Verdugo is batting .341 (15-for-44) in his last 12 games with the New York Yankees. Mike Stobe/Getty Images
“Jasson is doing everything he needs to do right now, and Verdugo is playing clearly better baseball lately,” Cashman said before Friday’s 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. “So the evaluations we’re making with our field staff, player development staff and front office staff is what’s going to give us the best chance to win, and for now, we’re sticking with what we’ve got, but we’re always in a position to change our minds at some point.”
Dominguez homered for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday and Thursday. Entering Friday, he was hitting .313 with seven homers, 24 RBIs and 15 steals in 41 games for the Triple-A club.
Dominguez, nicknamed “The Martian,” made his major league debut last year and hit four homers in eight games before undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow. He was called up for the Little League Classic game last month and went 0 for 4 in New York’s 3-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers, then was optioned back to the minors after the game.
Verdugo, who was acquired in a trade with the Boston Red Sox in December, went 1-for-3 with a walk in New York’s series-opening win at Wrigley Field. The 28-year-old outfielder is batting .341 (15-for-44) in his last 12 games, raising his season numbers to a .236 batting average with 11 homers and 56 RBIs.
When major league rosters expanded to 28 players on Sunday, New York activated first baseman Anthony Rizzo from the injured list and recalled outfielder/pinch runner Duke Ellis from Triple-A as part of a series of moves. But it kept switch-hitting Dominguez in the minors.
“If he comes, he has to play. He’s not going to come here and just sit there,” Cashman said.
