The New York Yankees have spent the past few years hyping up Jasson Dominguez, but now, the organization might be putting one of its most talented young players in an increasingly awkward position.
According to Brendan Kuty of The Athletic, the Yankees are looking for ways to improve their outfield depth, a situation that could hurt Dominguez’s role in the Bronx.
“So, Domínguez remaining the primary backup would seem to be a weakness for the Yankees, who over the past year have been on a mission to give manager Aaron Boone as much lineup versatility as possible. They appear to know it’s a concern. As The Athletic reported Saturday, the Yankees have been considering multiple righty-hitting outfield options, through free agency and trades. Randal Grichuk has drawn their interest, and they made an offer to Austin Slater earlier in the offseason.
“It’s not exactly up to the Yankees to worry about Domínguez’s future. If they see him as a valuable bench player, or if they want him as injury insurance, that’s their prerogative. But at this point in his career, the former top prospect likely would be better served by playing everyday in the majors,” he wrote. “That was the Yankees’ plan for him last year until Grisham proved he could be an everyday threat at the plate, eating into Domínguez’s playing time. Would another team consider now the right time to “buy” on Domínguez in exchange for help the Yankees may need elsewhere?”
Dominguez, once viewed as a big piece to the Yankees’ future, has found himself in a weird spot due to performance, roster construction, and the team’s win-now situation. While his talent isn’t what the Yankees made it seem to be, the pursuit of right-handed outfielders shows a lack of trust in what he’s done, even more than it seems.
Dominguez is at a point in his career where at-bats here and there and hardly playing do more harm than good. Just trade him if the plan isn’t to play him daily.
That reality opens the door to trade speculation. If another team believes Dominguez simply needs consistent reps to unlock his full potential, the Yankees could find a team interested and should take them up if the offer is right.