Top Yankees prospect Jasson Domínguez will miss up to eight weeks due to an oblique strain he suffered just weeks after returning to baseball following surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament.
The Yankees placed Domínguez on the injured list on Sunday after adjusting his oblique during a check swing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barr on Saturday. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters on Wednesday testing confirmed “moderate” oblique strain and a firmer timeline followed on Thursday, saying Domínguez will miss “significant time.”
Domínguez, a lanky outfielder who was once one of baseball’s most anticipated players, has slashed .273/.374/.444 with 42 home runs, 167 RBI and 89 stolen bases in 318 minor league games. He impressed in his MLB debut on September 1 last season, hitting a home run off three-time Cy Young winner Justin Verlander in his first big league at-bat.
Domínguez had four home runs, seven RBI and a stolen base in a blistering eight-game stretch against the Yankees in September before a torn UCL ended his first MLB season less than two weeks after his debut. He underwent Tommy John surgery on September 20 and was given a timeline of nine to 10 months to return.
Domínguez returned to baseball in May during a rehab assignment at Low-A Tampa before joining the Double-A Somerset Patriots and eventually Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He slashed .389/.405/.609 in nine games at Triple-A before getting injured. His return to the Yankees was unclear before his latest injury and is now even messier.
The Yankees play arguably the best ballpark, with MVP candidates Aaron Judge and Juan Soto joining Alex Verdugo. Former MVP design hitter Giancarlo Stanton could also play in the outfield if needed.
That said, the judge’s status was not as clear Wednesday afternoon. Judge left Tuesday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles after being hit in his left hand with a fastball. Initial X-rays and a CT scan revealed no fracture or structural damage, but his timeline for return was not immediately clear.
