Why the Yankees are trying Jasson Domínguez in right field

Gary Phillips, New York Daily News on Jun 10, 2026

Published in Baseball

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CLEVELAND — The New York Yankees began experimenting with Jasson Domínguez in right field on Tuesday, sticking him there as he continued a rehab assignment with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Domínguez, working his way back from an AC joint sprain, had only played one professional game in right field prior to that, and he’s only played center and left in the majors. But with Aaron Judge on the injured list with a fractured rib and Cody Bellinger playing elite defense in left field — the harder and more expansive corner spot at Yankee Stadium — the Bombers figured it wouldn’t hurt to have the defensively-limited Domínguez try right field.

“The reports yesterday are that he was very comfortable doing it, which is good,” Aaron Boone said before the Yankees’ series-sweeping, 8-4 win over the Guardians on Wednesday. “Seems like it went off without a hitch. His pregame work was apparently good, too, and I think he was happy to do it to add to the different ways he can help us.”

The manager added that Domínguez was expected to play right again Wednesday night. He also said that Bellinger’s standing as baseball’s best defensive left fielder is part of the Yankees’ thinking in moving Domínguez around yet again after his struggles adjusting to left field the last few years.

Domínguez, whose development has been interrupted by numerous injuries, initially came up as a center fielder.

“We invested so much in switching Jasson to left field before last year to try and help with the transition, so we wanted him to really focus on that, but to be able to have the versatility is important,” Boone said. “Spencer [Jones] has done a good job of getting some real reps at both spots in the corners, as well as continuing to have center field in play, so it just adds to their overall value a little bit.”

With Jones currently on the big league squad and playing well over a small sample — he was recalled when Judge went on the IL last week and hit his first MLB homer on Tuesday— Boone said “we’ll see” when asked if Domínguez will be added to the active roster once his rehab assignment is over. He said the same thing when asked if Domínguez could be in play on Friday when the Yankees begin a series against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

The Yankees are tentatively set to face Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman and Patrick Corbin — two reverse splits righties and a lefty — in Toronto, so the switch-hitting Domínguez could take the place of the left-handed Jones.

Other options would be to demote struggling shortstop Anthony Volpe or the versatile-but-seldom-used Max Schuemann, but having Domínguez and Jones would give the Yankees a surplus of outfielders.

Speaking of Domínguez’s switch-hitting, The Martian went 3 for 3 with a home run while hitting entirely from the right side on Tuesday. His right-handed swing has been considered his weaker side throughout his career, but he woke up Wednesday with a 1.245 OPS against lefties in the minors this season.

He also has a 1.000 OPS against them over eight big league plate appearances this season.

Domínguez hit .200 with a .617 OPS, one homer and four RBI over nine MLB games before injuring himself on a catch that forced him to crash into Yankee Stadium’s left field wall on May 7.

Weathering a short bullpen

Following Wednesday’s win, Boone said that starting pitcher Ryan Weathers was available for the Yankees’ taxed bullpen. The two chatted about the possibility after Tuesday’s game, and Boone had plans to use the lefty in the sixth inning.

However, Carlos Rodón, Wednesday’s starter, had an efficient nine-pitch inning in the fifth and was able to complete one more frame after that.

“He was ready for it and whatever we needed,” Boone said, adding that Weathers will still make his next scheduled start in Toronto on Friday despite warming up mid-game.

Lagrange checks a box

Carlos Lagrange checked another box in his transition to the bullpen at Triple-A, entering a game in the middle of an inning for the first time on Tuesday. The flamethrowing pitching prospect totaled 2 2/3 innings, three hits, one earned run, one walk and three strikeouts.

Boone said he thinks Lagrange’s next outing will be Sunday, and the Yankees will start shortening the days between his appearances with the hopes of him eventually helping out their big league bullpen.

Wells progressing

Boone said that Austin Wells (headaches) was scheduled to do baseball activities in New York on Wednesday.

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