Livescore
Three hundred sixty-five days have passed since Jasson Domnguez’s first full-time stint in the majors came to an end due to an elbow injury. On Monday, the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect is back in the majors and will likely be in the lineup every day down the stretch.
“This is a dream,” Dominguez said ahead of the Yanks’ series opener against the Kansas City Royals. “As soon as I started playing I want to play in the big leagues… I’m just excited for it and happy for it.”
He added: “Every time you get the call-up it’s great. Every time you get that call it’s something special.”
Since Dominguez’s last stint – which saw him hit the ground running with four home runs and seven RBI in eight games – things have not gone smoothly for the 21-year-old outfielder. He required Tommy John surgery and then his 2024 campaign was derailed by a “pretty significant” oblique strain.
And then after returning, he had to sit through quite a bit of speculation about when he would be called up with manager Aaron Boone and GM Brian Cashman getting numerous questions about it.
According to SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino, Dominguez is “here to play just about every day.”
Cashman told reporters that Alex Verdugo – not Dominguez – gives the Yankees the best chance to win right now as the team’s starting left fielder, and said about the top prospect, “If he comes (to the big leagues), he’s got to play every day.”
“It’s been a lot of up and downs with the injuries,” Dominguez said, before adding on the long wait to be called up: “But on the other part, I can’t control that. The only thing I focus on is stay healthy and keep playing. The other part, with people saying if they’re gonna call me up, I don’t know. I can’t control that, to be honest.”
Dominguez admitted to “seeing some things on social media” about Yankee fans clamoring for his promotion, smiling, “I saw it.”
Health-wise, Dominguez said he has no issues with playing left field or center (he is in center on Monday with Aaron Judge serving as the DH) and has had no issues swinging the bat since coming back from the oblique injury in late July.
In 58 minor league games, Dominguez has slashed .314/.376/.504 with 11 home runs and 35 RBI.
In his last 18 games, after his one-day call-up as the 27th man in the Little League Classic (in which he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts) – Dominguez has slashed .347/.398/.560 with a .958 OPS with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBI.
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