Jasson Dominguez broke out of his small-sample slump on Tuesday night, blasting a laser home run to dead center in the blowout Yankee win over the Mariners in Seattle.
Dominguez got the start in center field, while Alex Verdugo got the start in left. Verdugo picked up a hit and two runs scored in the victory, and is now batting .304 with two home runs and a .757 OPS over his last 19 games.
Verdugo was awful at the plate for an extended stretch before these last few weeks, leading to fans clamoring for Dominguez to be called up. But C-Mac says, if Verdugo continues to heat up and Dominguez struggles to get going in the majors after a season of injuries, then it should be Verdugo in left field come October.
“I honestly think [Aaron Boone] is having a competition with Dominguez and Verdugo,” C-Mac said. “I honestly believe the Yankees want Dominguez to win the battle and be the left fielder…but you have to admit, prior to this home run, Verdugo has outplayed him in this brief stretch.”
Even with the home run, Dominguez is batting just .167 with a .577 OPS in the small sample size of 28 plate appearances. perhaps the home run can get him going, but if it doesn’t, C-Mac says Verdugo should play in the playoffs.
“We have to be fair,” C-Mac said. “If we’re gonna scream and cry that we want the best roster…if, down the stretch of the year, Verdugo outplays Dominguez, then Yankee fans would be hypocrites if they don’t say that Verdugo should play.”