The New York Yankees must chalk out a plan on how to use Alex Verdugo and Jasson Dominguez this year. As only 25 games are remaining before the NY side gets ready for the playoffs in 2024, things are going to get a bit tricky. So far, the outfield of the Bronx Bombers with the former Boston Red Sox man and the Judge-Soto duo has looked really good, and it has helped the team win several games. Currently, the Bronx Bombers are leading the American League East division. They have played one game less than the Baltimore Orioles and also lost a game less than them.
Moreover, for the current position of the NY side at the top of the AL East, the credit goes to the team’s offense. Even more specifically, the duo of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have been spectacular in 2024. The Yankees captain is the most favorite to win the 2024 AL MVP, and Soto is also on the list of MVP contenders. But the Bronx Bombers will need enough contributions from the other sluggers as well. However, Alex Verdugo has been struggling with his hitting average this season.
Will The Yankees Replace Alex Verdugo With Jasson Dominguez In The Lineup?
According to Mark W Sanchez of the New York Post, Alex Verdugo is on the verge of getting “Reviled.” On September 1, some fans were waiting to see Jasson Dominguez replace the former Red Sox slugger. But the Yankees did not add their top prospect to the lineup. Hence, an invisible target for Verdugo is starting to appear. Lately, the left fielder of the Pinstripes has been struggling with his hitting average, and he is at risk of losing some valuable playing time. This year might be the only time the former Red Sox outfielder got to wear the pinstripe uniform. But Verdugo has not played very well in 2024. However, it has not been a complete disaster either. Hence, he has not really become an enemy for the Pinstripes this year.
Early in the season, Verdugo made the crowd in the Yankee Stadium scream because his bat was loud back then. Since then, things have slowly fallen apart. At present, Alex Verdugo’s batting average is 0.235 with only 11 home runs. Some fans believe the NY side is trying to keep him from an arbitration raise. They believe the team should replace the struggling Verdugo with ‘The Martian.’ Since his Tommy John surgery, Jasson Dominguez has been a minor leaguer. But the debate is getting stronger regarding the Yankees should replace Verdugo with Dominguez when their roster would expand.
Aaron Boone Still Has Faith In The Left Fielder
The Yankees can call up Jasson Dominguez before the postseason starts. But what happens to Verdugo when Jasson returns to the lineup? Perhaps replacing Alex would prove that the Bombers have already lost confidence in the left fielder. In December 2023, the Red Sox traded Verdugo to their arch-rivals. After the 2024 season, the outfielder will become a free agent. It is highly unlikely that the NY Yankees would retain Alex. But Aaron Boone recently said in an interview that hopefully, Verdugo will get going with better at-bats of late. He believes the left fielder is really capable of that.
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But Boone feels Alex has been a bit unlucky this season. Albeit, the manager said that Verdugo has been in line with what he has done most of his career, especially in terms of contact quality. Moreover, Boone praised Verdugo for his defensive quality in the left field. On top of that, the manager said the left fielder can really provide length to the lineup if he can get the better at-bats going.
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