The New York Yankees have made it clear that they are concerned about Spencer Jones in one major area.
Spencer Jones finally made his New York Yankees debut this season after years of waiting, and while the early returns have been mixed, you can't help but at least be moderately impressed with what you've seen.
Jones has been up with the big-league squad twice this season, and in his second go-around since being recalled earlier this month, he has blasted the first two home runs of his major-league career, both of which had an exit velocity of 111 mph or better.
Yankees fans have gotten glimpses of why Jones was such a hyped prospect in the team's minor-league system for so long, and it's hard not to be excited about what the future holds for the 25-year-old.
However, there is one concern about Jones that make things a bit complicated: his struggles to hit left-handed pitching.
New York has been regularly sitting Jones against southpaws, and while it's frustrating, there is a reason behind it.
Jones had been slashing .208/.309/.354 with just two homers against lefties at Triple-A this season. Last year, he slashed .189/.318/.344 with four long balls versus left-handed arms between Double-A and Triple-A.
But all hope is not lost.
New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones. Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.The 6-foot-7, 240-pound slugger posted a .787 OPS against lefties at Double-A in 2024, and the season prior, he actually fared better versus southpaws (.804 OPS) than righties (.775 OPS) between Single-A and Double-A.
Clearly, Jones is not completely incapable of hitting a left-hander. He has done it in the past, albeit at lower levels in the minors. So is it possible that the Yankees are doing Jones a disservice by not allowing him to see lefties during his rookie campaign?
New York's strategy seems pretty clear here: to let Jones face pitchers it knows he can manage against in order to maintain his confidence. If the Yanks play him versus a lefty and he goes 0-for-5 with four strikeouts, it could be damaging.
The Yankees seem to be taking baby steps with Jones, which is why they are rolling with the switch-hitting Jasson Dominguez in right field whenever a lefty is on the mound (at least until Aaron Judge eventually returns).
They also could be attempting to ensure that Jones' trade value doesn't plummet. Seeing him flailing against southpaws won't do much to increase his stock before the MLB trade deadline.
At its core, I think New York's strategy with Jones makes sense, even if it can be pretty irritating not seeing him in the lineup a day after he launched a home run into the second deck while also drawing a pair of walks.
Again, Jones has shown in the past that he is not entirely inept against lefties. It's just a matter of making sure he can hold his own against big-league righties first before throwing him to the wolves.
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