The Yankees haven’t even reached Opening Day, yet their season is already teetering on the edge. Losing Gerrit Cole for the entire year is a massive blow, and with Luis Gil sidelined for months and Clarke Schmidt dealing with a back injury, the rotation is being held together with duct tape. If they’re going to remain competitive, everything else has to go right—including their gamble in left field with Jasson Dominguez.
Dominguez Learning on the Fly in Left Field
Dominguez was developed as a center fielder, but manager Aaron Boone has made it clear that he’s sticking in left, regardless of early struggles. It’s an adjustment that hasn’t been seamless. He’s misread some balls off the bat, taken poor routes, and had a couple of rough moments defensively.
At just 22 years old, Dominguez has an immense amount of pressure to succeed as a rookie, and so far, he hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. Through 10 spring games, he’s hitting .241/.267/.345 with one home run and three RBIs. His power hasn’t shown up consistently, and his on-base percentage is lower than expected.
How Much Patience Will the Yankees Have?
Worst-case scenario, the Yankees could shift Dominguez back to center field if his struggles in left persist. He has the speed and athleticism to be an above-average defender, but the early growing pains are evident. Boone is clearly willing to ride out the rough patches, banking on Dominguez improving with reps.
The question is whether the Yankees, as a team, can afford the luxury of patience. They’re already in survival mode with key injuries piling up, and if Dominguez struggles offensively and defensively out of the gate, they may have to reconsider their plan.
An Uphill Battle from the Start
With Cole likely out for the season and Giancarlo Stanton’s health a massive question mark, this isn’t the roster the Yankees envisioned when they entered spring training. The rotation is scrambling for reinforcements, the offense is already missing key power, and they are counting on young players like Dominguez to step up immediately.
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Boone and general manager Brian Cashman seem committed to letting their left field experiment play out, but if 2025 turns into a lost season quickly, they’ll have to start making tough decisions. Dominguez is talented enough to figure it out, but the Yankees don’t have the luxury of time to wait for everything to click.