Yankees' Call-Up After Jasson Dominguez's Injury Might Not Be Who Fans Expect

It looked like Domínguez was finally hitting his stride before disaster struck. He was batting .238 with a .476 slugging percentage in his last five games (21 at-bats) ahead of Thursday's win, taking advantage in the designated hitter spot during Giancarlo Stanton's ongoing time on the sidelines.

But with Domínguez likely to miss some games, the Yankees will likely call up reinforcements soon. Some New York fans have already declared that this situation is the perfect excuse to promote top prospect Spencer Jones, who has 11 home runs and 41 RBIs with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. Others wouldn't mind seeing versatile Oswaldo Cabrera given a shot, either.

As interesting as it'd be to see Jones or Cabrera in the Yankees' lineup, someone else is a likelier promotion candidate in the wake of a potential injured list stint for Domínguez.

Update — May 7, 5:15 p.m. ET: The New York Post's Jon Heyman is reporting that the Yankees are indeed promoting Spencer Jones from Triple-A.

Yankees could bring Anthony Volpe back after Jasson Domínguez's injury

Despite opening the year on the sidelines, Yankees fans assumed that Anthony Volpe would resume the starting shortstop job when he returned. Those plans changed with José Caballero's breakout performance in his absence, leading to Volpe being optioned to Scranton as his activation window closed over the weekend.

Forcing Volpe to prove himself and fight for a job is the right decision, but the situation has changed. Cabellero's elbow is banged up after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday, and while Max Schuemann is still on the roster, he is far from a reliable everyday starter. Volpe isn't perfect either, but he's spent all 4,067 of his career innings at shortstop and even won a Gold Glove as a rookie in 2023.

Schuemann has played all across the infield and outfield, making him more suited to be a bench option—especially given the Yankees' rising injury situation. Amed Rosario will probably see more time in the outfield, likely rotating left field duties with Cody Bellinger, all while Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge continue to lead the charge in center and right, respectively.

The defensive value Volpe can bring to the lineup is well documented; Yankees fans are concerned about what his bat can do. The former 2019 first-rounder slashed .212/.272/.391 with 19 home runs and 72 RBIs last season, finishing with a career-worst 1.6 WAR and 81 OPS+. He's batting .241 so far in the minors; however, his OBP (.300), SLG (.315), and only one HR scored in 54 ABs have left much to be desired.

Despite those struggles, there's still a good chance Volpe will return sooner rather than later. The Yankees and manager Aaron Boone had plans for him to resume a starting role immediately. Now that Caballero isn't 100% and Domínguez is a potential IL candidate, there might not be a better (or another) chance to test that out.

Cabrera and Jones could be impact players one day, which is why the Yankees shouldn't waste their time with a quick up-and-down promotion. They're better off waiting until they know a long-term spot is up for grabs, giving the prospect duo as much time as possible to prove themselves.

If Volpe is on his way back, he can't afford to fumble what could be a season-changing opportunity. Capitalizing on the situation could force him back into the Yankees' lineup—even if he splits time with Caballero—for the rest of the year. At the same time, more struggles in the batter's box would likely send him back to Scranton, potentially ending his time in New York if Boone & Co. are ready to turn the page.