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Jasson Domínguez once again showcased the potential that has intrigued the Yankees since they signed him as an international free agent nearly seven years ago. The 23-year-old switch-hitter, who has yet to establish himself as a full-time major leaguer, delivered an impressive performance on Sunday, contributing two doubles and hitting his first home run of the season in the Yankees’ commanding 11-3 victory over the Orioles.
With Giancarlo Stanton sidelined due to a calf injury, Domínguez seized the opportunity to start as the designated hitter. This occasion presented him with another chance to make his mark—a chance he hasn’t consistently capitalized on in the past.
Although Domínguez started the game 0-for-2, he soon found his rhythm. In the sixth inning, he doubled down the left field line and crossed the plate to give the Yankees the lead in what had been a tightly contested matchup.
His standout moment came in the eighth inning, when he launched a two-run homer from the left side of the plate, igniting a seven-run rally. Domínguez rounded off the explosive inning with another double, this time batting from the right side.
Then came a two-run homer, from the left side, to spark a seven-run inning in the eighth, which Domínguez capped by doubling again from the right side.
The Yankees have been waiting for years for Domínguez to hit consistently from that side of the plate, despite having grown up a right-handed hitter.
“That’s his natural side,” Aaron Boone said. “When you see him hit or take BP, you see it’s not an unnatural move.”
Domínguez has pummeled the ball right-handed in his month at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, but has never produced enough from that side to warrant being an everyday player at the major league level.
With Cody Bellinger in left field and Trent Grisham in center, Domínguez found himself at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again this season.
There remain not only doubts about hitting righty, but also on defense.
Before the game, Boone said he would look to get Aaron Judge a DH day at some point this week, with Domínguez now serving as the fourth outfielder after losing Randal Grichuk.
Domínguez said his three-hit game Sunday was “awesome” and that he’s been working to get more comfortable hitting right-handed.
He’s been down this road before, having first come up to the Yankees late in 2023.
“Adversity is always tough, but that’s what I’ve got to do,” Domínguez said. “I’ve got to do my job.”
A performance like the one Sunday, he said, “definitely helps.” It was the second time in his career he’s had a hit from both sides of the plate in the same inning.
Domínguez is the only Yankee to do that since Mark Teixeira did it in 2016.