MLB Insider Weighs in on New York Yankees Outfield Dilemma

MLB Insider Jon Heyman gave his thoughts on what the Yankees should do in left field for the ALDS.

Sep 8, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Jasson Dominguez (89) at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees are a deep, playoff-ready team, but a left-field decision still needs to be made. 

Yankees Manager Aaron Boone will need to decide between Alex Verdugo’s defense and Jasson Dominguez’s offense.

Verdugo has played the bulk of the year in left field but has put up some of the worst offensive numbers of his career. The lefty is slashing .233/.291/.356 which are well below his career averages of .272/.328/.414. 

Dominguez was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on September 10th. He hasn’t made the immediate offensive splash that many were expecting but has posted a 16.4% walk rate and 84 wRC+ which is slightly higher than Verdugo’s. He’s hit two home runs and stolen five bases in his 18 games with the Yankees this year. 

In his weekly Bleacher Report Walk-Off video session, MLB Insider Jon Heyman was candid about what he believes the Yankees should do in the ALDS. 

“Boone likes them both, he certainly likes Verdugo more than most of us do,” said Heyman. “That’s the safer play and the Yankees are probably going to do the safer thing”. 

Dominguez was noticeably shaky in left field in September and those defensive inconsistencies could be what makes Boone stick with Verdugo. The Martian played center field at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and the rookie has not had much time to acclimate to playing left field in the big-leagues.

During Heyman’s B/R video, he noted that he believed Boone would take a cautious approach to his ALDS lineup. Heyman also insinuated that Boone is feeling the pressure and named him as one of the managers who could be on the hot seat this offseason. While Boone has the support of both GM Brian Cashman and managing partner Hal Steinbrenner, he also hasn’t come close to winning a World Series in his six prior seasons as the Yankees manager. 

Who would Heyman play in left field? He finished the segment with the "Martian" as his choice: “I like Dominguez, but it’s not up to me so it’s easy for me to say that. I think they lean to Verdugo.”

The Yankees will face the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS, which is scheduled for Saturday at Yankee Stadium at 6:38 pm EST.