The Yankees didn’t include starting left fielder Alex Verdugo in Sunday’s lineup against the Toronto Blue Jays to finish off a three-game series. Instead, Aaron Judge featured in left, with Trent Grisham in centerfield and Juan Soto in right.
Manager Aaron Boone stated that Verdugo was dealing with a bit of fatigue, so the Yankees wanted to give him two consecutive days off. Fortunately, he’s seemingly fine, and the Yankees wanted to mitigate any further concerns, allowing the 28-year-old to rebound and feel better about starting the week.
The Yankees Aren’t Getting Great Offensive Production From Verdugo
This season, Verdugo is posting career metrics across the board. Over 108 games, he’s hitting .233/.291/.369, including 10 homers and 49 RBIs, with a 15.7% strike-out rate, 7.9% walk rate, and 87 wRC+.
Verdugo is 13% worse than the average MLB hitter this season, but he’s been a tremendous defensive asset for the Yankees. Over 953.1 innings in the outfield, he hosts an excellent .995 percentage with five defensive runs saved and one out above average.
Verdugo has never been known for his ability to hit the ball hard but rather for his contact qualities and great defense.
At the moment, Verdugo is in a contract year and isn’t doing himself any favors with his current numbers. The Yanks will likely move on after the 2024 season, promoting Jasson Dominguez full-time to an outfield spot.
Should the Yankees Promote Jasson?
However, Verdugo can fill an important role in the meantime, but I wouldn’t rule out the Yankees promoting Dominguez this season and potentially taking some reps away from the veteran.
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In the meantime, Trent Grisham has been getting more playing time recently. The 27-year-old is experiencing a surge in offensive production. He’s hitting just .188 this season with a .296 OBP but has a 93 wRC+, suggesting he’s offering more power and damage contact than Verdugo.