The Yankees wasted little time moving on from Jasson Domínguez after Thursday’s game, optioning the outfielder to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in a late-night roster shuffle.
Domínguez’s latest stint in the majors barely had time to breathe. He had been promoted over the weekend in Trent Grisham’s place, and instead of settling in for a longer run, he ended up back out the door after a rough night against the Rockies.
The final image was hard to miss: a misplayed line drive in right field that helped bring in Colorado’s third run. By the time the clock hit 11:00 PM, Domínguez had been sent down the same night he hit third in the Yankees’ lineup.
The move came after a week in which Domínguez had already drawn attention for a different reason, referencing Anthony Volpe’s “Barry Bonds” transformation at Triple-A because of his renewed work ethic. But that moment of buzz did not turn into staying power. His September with the Yankees was short and ugly, and Thursday’s miscue only sharpened the sense that the club had seen enough.
The bright side for New York was that the error came with 10 runs already on the board, thanks in large part to Volpe. Even so, the play carried a familiar sting for a player trying to carve out a place.
So who takes Domínguez’s spot? The answer may be a pitcher, not an outfielder.
September roster rules allow teams to carry 28 players and as many as 14 pitchers, and the Yankees apparently still had room. Their current group includes Bednar, Blackburn, Cole, Fried, Fulmer, Gil, Headrick, Hill, Rodón, Schlittler, Schreiber, Warren, and Yarbrough - 13 pitchers total.
That opens the door for Clarke Schmidt, who threw a scoreless 12-pitch inning with two strikeouts at Double-A Somerset on Wednesday. The Yankees appear to be eyeing the briefest possible relief role as Schmidt works toward the end of his rehab from summer 2025 Tommy John surgery. If he’s ready, New York could also use that chance to stop his rehab clock and get him into the mix for the Subway Series.
There’s still a 40-man roster wrinkle to sort out if Schmidt is activated. Bradley Hanner, Brendan Beck, or Angel Chivilli could be designated for assignment, though in theory any of them could be promoted instead.
As for Domínguez, this was another frustrating chapter in what has been a rough year. His brief return didn’t produce much, and the Yankees seem unlikely to miss the version they just watched struggle in right field again.
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