Alexander Wilson
The Yankees might have to make the Jasson Domínguez decision faster than they wanted.
Trent Grisham left Friday’s 8-5 loss in Toronto with right hamstring tightness after a two-run single in the sixth inning, and Aaron Boone said Domínguez could be in play if Grisham needs the injured list. It is not a small roster note, either. One bad hamstring can turn an already thin outfield into a daily puzzle.
For the Yankees, the timing is lousy. Aaron Judge is already out with a rib stress fracture, Giancarlo Stanton is still working his way back, and Domínguez was supposed to get a few more rehab games before the club made its next call.
Yankees outfield cover is getting thin
Grisham’s season line still looks modest in places, but the recent stretch was doing real work. He was hitting .370 over his past 19 games through Friday, and he had just driven in two runs before the hamstring tightened up.
That matters because Grisham is the cleanest center-field fit on the roster. Cody Bellinger can handle center, Spencer Jones can move around, and Max Schuemann can patch spots, but none of that is the same as having Grisham healthy and playing the position every day.
The Yankees had to reshuffle Friday, with Schuemann replacing Grisham and Jones sliding from right to center. That works for a few innings. It gets harder if the injury lingers.
Domínguez is close enough to complicate it
Domínguez homered Friday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre while rehabbing from his left shoulder issue, which makes the whole decision more tempting. Boone told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com that Domínguez could be an option depending on where Grisham’s hamstring is Saturday.
I would still be careful here. Domínguez has missed time with an AC joint sprain, and calling him up because the roster is bleeding is different from calling him up because he has completed the rehab plan cleanly.
The Yankees may not have the luxury of perfect timing. If Grisham is only day-to-day, they can breathe, use Schuemann, and give Domínguez another game or two. If Grisham needs an IL stint, the Martian probably becomes the most logical answer, ready or not.
The next update matters because of that squeeze. Domínguez does not have to save the season, but the Yankees may need him to keep the outfield from becoming one more problem they have to buy their way out of in July.
More about:New York Yankees
