Yankees Should Start Having Jasson Dominguez Conversations

At what point do the New York Yankees consider calling Jasson Dominguez back up if the offense continues to sputter?

Mar 24, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez against the Chicago Cubs during spring training at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees decided they didn't have a place for Jasson Dominguez heading into the 2026 season. With the team starting off so hot, sweeping the San Francisco Giants right out of the gate, any conversation about Dominguez was kicked to the side for the time being.

In a span of a week, things are a little different now. The Yankees have lost three of their last four games and their bats are the biggest reason why. Those Dominguez conversations might be starting up again.

The offense has been listless during this stretch, and Randal Grichuk, who made the team over Dominguez, hasn't produced. He still has yet to record a hit in the six games that he has been in. Granted, it's only nine plate appearances in total, and this is the tiniest of sample sizes.

Mar 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Randal Grichuk (34) jumps up as Detroit Tigers center fielder Matt Vierling (8) ball goes over the wall as he hits a home run during the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Dominguez, on the other hand, has hit since the team reported to Tampa. In Spring Training, while the big guns were at the World Baseball Classic, Dominguez was 13-for-40 with two doubles, three home runs, three stolen bases, and 10 RBIs.

In 47 plate appearances in AAA, Dominguez is hitting .375/.468/.575 with two homers, seven walks, and two doubles. He also has four stolen bases.

Those numbers look gaudy, but the underlying metrics show that they aren't flukey. According to the website Prospect Savant, Dominguez has a .427 xwOBA, .332 xBA, .552 xSLG, and 90.2 Average Exit Velocity.

🚨Jasson Dominguez blasts first pitch of the game for HR (1), 1-0 SWB!#RepBx #Yankees pic.twitter.com/LVbjbADWoA

— YankeesFarm (@YankeesFarm) April 1, 2026

Dominguez also has a 12.8% k rate and 14.9% walk rate. He always had a good eye, and that is still the case this year in Scranton.

Scranton Shuffle

At the end of camp, when the Yankees initially sent Dominguez down, Boone said it was about him finding playing time for him. The roster was set.

“One of the things I told him is that I’m proud of him,” manager Aaron Boone said before the season started, according to MLB.com's Brian Hoch. “He walked into this camp with all kinds of conversation around him. It didn’t affect anything in the way he carried himself, day in, day out, the way he worked. You want him playing regularly,” Boone said, “and that’s ultimately what it comes down to.”

It begs the question: How long of a leash does someone like Grichuk get on this roster? It's clear that once Anthony Volpe is healthy, he'll take the shortstop job back. Jose Caballero hasn't done anything of note this season thus far. He'll lose his job and be relegated to spot starts around the infield. Shouldn't the same apply to Grichuk?

Yankees Last 3 Games:
8 singles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 35 K

This is the first time in franchise history the Yankees had any 3-game span with 15 or fewer total bases and at least 35 strikeouts.

— Katie Sharp (@SharpStats17) April 11, 2026

Grichuk's fate may be harsher, because if Dominguez comes up, it's likely he'll be cut. Still, it wouldn't be much of a loss if it happened.

It stinks that fans have to hold their breathe every time a ball is hit to Dominguez, but how much more of an upgrade is Grichuk if he can't hit? He was overpowered in the ninth inning against the Rays with two runners on, and him striking out was the most obvious outcome there.

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