Spencer Jones Replacing Jasson Domínguez Would Clean Up Key Yankees Issue

The New York Yankees blew out the Tampa Bay Rays in their final game of the series, and it's easy to concentrate on the positives anytime a crooked number gets put up. It was a desperately needed win, and yet, if there was anything to nitpick about it, it came in the bottom of the sixth inning, a little after the Bombers poured on their runs.

Nick Fortes hit an easy fly ball that hung in the air long enough for Jasson Domínguez to get under it and make the easy out. Instead, it looked like he lost it in Tropicana Field's ceiling, and the ball dropped right in front of him.

Jasson Domínguez loses the ball and can't make the catch.

Runners are now at 1B and 2B. pic.twitter.com/XjglLbPSas
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) July 9, 2026

While this moment affected very little in the game, the Yankees are in a position in which they can ill afford to give extra outs. This game was more of an outlier, in which they scored more runs than they have in weeks, but for the most part, they have been playing a lot of close games, and Domínguez balls, which has been a theme in his career, could come back to bite them.

This is why the Yankees should go with Spencer Jones to clean up their outfield defense. Plus, it's not like Domínguez is hitting well enough to warrant any more chances to play. Domínguez has an 87 wRC+ on the year and is hitting .244/.284/.411 with a 93 wRC+ since he returned from the IL. He has three homers and six RBI.

The remedy for the unearned run plague

Domínguez has 0 Outs Above Average in the outfield this season, which is an improvement from the -9 he accumulated last season, and yet, it seems like no matter how many chances he gets, he's still a liability out there. It's unfortunate, but if that's a one-run game, it's another one the Yankees likely drop since unearned runs have plagued them.

If there's one thing the Yankees know they're getting out of Jones, he is more of a sure hand in the outfield. While Jones does own a -1 OAA due to his center field defense, he is a neutral defender with zero in right. Domínguez actually has a -1 OAA at the position, so it would be a slight upgrade there by the metrics, and the eye-test has agreed.

Spencer Jones outfiel — New York Yankees outfielders, from left, Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones, and Jasson Domínguez celebrate their win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another thing about Jones is that he does have tantalizing power, and if he lifts the ball a little more, he can go on some of those prodigious homer streaks that he has gone on in the minors. Domínguez hasn't gotten the shots Anthony Volpe has, so he is still an unproven commodity. It's been disappointing in this limited sample, but it feels like what he's giving could be just who he will be this year.

Jones, on the other hand, has shown some untapped potential from the loud contact he makes. Jones has an average exit velocity of 94.7 mph and a 63.2% hard-hit rate. On top of that, he has an 11% walk rate and, while Domínguez is faster, Jones' speed is solid too. He has an 83rd-percentile sprint speed, so the Yankees aren't losing too much there relative to Domínguez's 95th-percentile speed.

If Domínguez is going to work on his defense, it should be in the minors. It's a bummer to say this because Domínguez is such a hard worker and easy to root for, but, to quote Yogi Berra, it gets late early out there. Waiting until the last minute to start playing better cost them their home-field advantage last year.

For now, while the Yankees hope to claw back in the AL East, one way to get better is to shore up their defense at every opportunity, and Jones offers them that chance. They need to do away with their plague of unearned runs.

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