Yankees Could Be Showcasing Jasson Dominguez As Trade Bait

New York Yankees right fielder Jasson Domínguez (24) hits a solo home run in the fourth inning Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yankees Could Be Showcasing Jasson Dominguez As Trade Bait

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Jul 10, 2026 2:00 PM ET

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To trade or not to trade, that is the question facing New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman. As the Aug. 3 deadline approaches, the club has several needs, including catcher, shortstop and the bullpen.

Of course, to get something you have to give something. While infielder George Lombard Jr., the club's No. 1 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, appears to be off the table, Cashman has plenty of trade chips to use in negotiations.

That includes outfielder Jasson Domínguez, who's been getting an extended run this year with injuries to Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham.

In Domínguez the Yankees trust?

In fact, a peak at the Yankees' lineup this month shows the club putting a lot of trust in Domínguez.

Consider where manager Aaron Boone has slotted Rodriguez in July:

2nd (once)
3rd (three times)
4th (once
5th (twice)

That's a lot of faith in a 23-year-old who's hitting .224 with a .659 OPS in 32 games. That leads us to the possibility that the Yankees are trying to showcase Domínguez as trade bait.

The case for Spencer Jones

Otherwise, it's hard to justify an extended run in prime lineup slots, especially when top-rated slugger Spencer Jones is sitting at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yes, Jones struggled in his debut stint earlier this season, hitting .233 with a .687 OPS in 30 games. But that's almost identical to the production from Domínguez.

With Judge and Cody Bellinger locked into long-term contracts, and with Grisham playing this season on a one-year deal, the Yankees have one outfield slot they need to plug moving forward. The best internal options are Jones and Domínguez. So one of them has to go.

Someone has to go

"They would probably trade both of them, though they likely need to keep one of them around, and clearly they prefer Domínguez right now," The Athletic's Brendan Kuty noted on Tuesday.

This is Domínguez's fourth season in the majors, following his debut in 2023. Once one of the team's top prospects, he has underperformed with 20 home runs, 68 RBIs, 35 stolen bases and a .715 OPS in 182 games. Hyped as a five-tool player, Domínguez has struggled for consistency, both in the batter's box and in the field.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trading Domínguez with Jones waiting in the wings makes too much sense for a Yankees club with championship aspirations.

"Teams sense that the Yankees are desperate. The Yankees know they have to fill at several spots," Kuty added.

After splitting their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays, FanGraphs still gives the Yankees a 10.3% chance of winning the World Series. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (26.9%) have better odds. If the Yankees want to close the gap in the chase for their first title since 2009, it's entirely possible flipping Domínguez before the trade deadline is on the table.

This article first appeared on New York Yankees on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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