Jasson Dominguez key contributor in Yankees’ win
BOSTON — To some scouts, Jasson Domínguez looks like an NFL defensive back.
Lately, he’s been playing about as often as one.
Each of the past three Saturdays, the 22-year-old has been in the lineup — and that’s it.
It happened again in the second game of the key Yankees series against Boston, with Domínguez in left field at Fenway Park.
He had a single and a walk in a 5-3 win, but Domínguez’s biggest contribution to the win came in the bottom of the second, when he threw out Nate Eaton at third base on an ill-advised attempt to advance on Nick Sogard’s single to left with no one out.
“He did a good job squaring his body up and making sure he was accurate,’’ Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the throw. “That was a big play.”
There haven’t been many lately on either side of the ball this season from Domínguez, and that’s not what many people expected when he signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic for over $5 million in 2019 and was quickly nicknamed The Martian because of his unique skill set.
Domínguez’s reputation grew when he homered four times in his first seven games after being called up to the majors two years ago this month.
But it’s mostly been a struggle since.
Asked if the pressure of the spotlight — and the moniker — that has been a part of his career since he was 16 has played a factor in his development, Domínguez said, “I don’t think it’s made it harder for me. There are expectations I have to fulfill, but I’m harder on myself because I know I have more in the tank. I like the nickname. I wouldn’t change it.”
For now, though, when the Yankees are at their healthiest, they prefer Cody Bellinger in left, Trent Grisham in center and Aaron Judge in right, with Giancarlo Stanton as the DH, leaving the switch-hitting and defensively challenged Domínguez and right-handed Austin Slater as spare outfield options.
And even with Judge limited defensively as he comes back from a strained flexor in his right elbow, Domínguez is mostly stuck on the bench.
“That’s the challenge of where we’re at right now in the season,’’ Boone said of Domínguez’s lack of playing time, partially a product of Grisham’s emergence this year as an offensive threat.
It’s the second straight year Domínguez has found himself in a similar spot, with Alex Verdugo getting the majority of time in left field down the stretch and in the playoffs a year ago.
And then in Friday’s win, Domínguez made an out on the bases when he pinch ran for Stanton in the top of the eighth and ran into a grounder hit by Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Domínguez and Boone are confident he can succeed in what he’s doing now.
“Right now, we need to just win and get to the postseason,’’ Domínguez said. “I can’t be selfish about myself. I have to do what’s best for the team. It’s kind of the same as last year and I understand it. Last year, I wanted to play, but I also understood it.”
He remains the youngest player on the 40-man roster by more than two years and believes he will live up to the hype.
“I’ve been around and people have known who I was since I signed when I was 16, so I think fans have those expectations and they want to see it,’’ Domínguez said. “I know I have that in me and can be a great player down the road. It’s all part of the process. I’m still learning. That’s not an excuse. I’m getting used to what I have to do here and I still believe in myself, definitely.’’
And he’s not the only one.
“I know for myself, you learn through failure,’’ Bellinger said. “I failed a ton of times wherever I was [on the field]… He’s doing a good job evolving into a player.”
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
