The New York Yankees' decision to call up Spencer Jones could ultimately mean the end for Jasson Dominguez in the Bronx.
New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez has certainly experienced his fair share of bad luck since being recalled to the big leagues.
Last week, Dominguez was hit by a pitch. Then, on Thursday, the former top prospect crashed into the left field wall while making a running catch, resulting in an AC joint sprain in his shoulder and a trip to the injured list.
Dominguez has been called up following Giancarlo Stanton landing on the IL with a calf strain, but now, the 23-year-old might be in serious trouble.
Why? Because after Dominguez's shoulder injury, the Yankees finally decided to promote outfielder Spencer Jones, who has been one of New York's top farmhands for years but has yet to make his MLB debut.
Well, now, Jones has finally arrived at The Show, and it could ultimately mean the end for Dominguez in the Bronx.
While Dominguez has shown potential as a hitter, Jones appears to be the much more well-rounded player. Not only does he possess prodigious power, but he is a freakish athlete capable of stealing 30-plus bases while playing elite outfield defense.
Dominguez certainly has speed, but he is a subpar defender, and it just doesn't seem like he will ever shake that.
New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez. Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.Jones had been slashing .258/.366/.592 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI over 142 plate appearances in Triple-A this season prior to his promotion. Yes, the strikeouts (46 of them) are still an issue, but that's just part of his game.
It's also worth noting that Jones has shown improvement in that area over the last several weeks, as well.
Remember: Jones lit it up in Spring Training, bashing six homers to go along with a 1.526 OPS. But because the Yankees had a clogged outfield, Jones was sent back down to the minor leagues.
The 6-foot-7, 240-pound turns 25 years old next week, so it's beyond time to see what he can do in the majors, and if he performs well and shows New York he can be its center fielder of the future, Dominguez might be gone.
Cody Bellinger is stationed in left field for the foreseeable future, and Aaron Judge certainly isn't going anywhere in right. Trent Grisham is slated to hit free agency after 2026, and if Jones lives up to expectations, he will almost certainly replace him as the team's everyday center fielder in 2027.
Heck, it's entirely possible that Jones might even be able to do that this year if he comes up to the bigs and puts on a dazzling display.
At that point, there would not be much room left for Dominguez.
It has seemed pretty clear all along that the Yankees wouldn't be keeping both young outfielders long term. One of them will end up as trade bait.
And if Jones shows New York that he is the better overall talent, then Dominguez might as well start packing his bags.
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