The Spencer Jones show has finally made its way to the Bronx, in case you haven’t seen the news. The slugging leviathan of a left-handed hitter and outfielder has traversed the final hurdle standing between him in the Majors, which, it turns out, was an injury in the form of Jasson Dominguez smashing against a wall and spraining his shoulder, while also sustaining a concussion. The Yankees outfield now features two freakishly athletic 6’7” dudes in Jones and Aaron Judge. The Yankees outfield also has an incoming logjam that will likely force the front office to make moves at or before the deadline if they want their roster to make sense for a World Series run. Here are a few options for them:
You keep him up in the Majors and he gets regular playing time in the Yankees outfield. Trent Grisham was very good last year (34 homers, 123 OPS+, 3.5 bWAR), but based on the rest of his career, that might’ve been an aberration. He’s hitting .177 this season through 150 PA, although his advanced metrics suggest his luck is about to change. As for Dominguez, the “Martian” has yet to put it all together at the big league level, despite some nice moments. He was an average hitter last season and has been an average hitter across four seasons overall (although in just 561 total PA). He’s only 23 and has boatloads of talent, so he’s definitely not one to give up on, which equates to trade value.
Plenty of teams would be willing to trade for Dominguez, who won’t become a free agent until 2030. A surging Spencer Jones might lead the Yankees outfield to be offloaded, and I think Dominguez is the most obvious candidate. An ace reliever? A third baseman (Ryan McMahon ain’t it)? There is certainly something of value to be had for Dominguez, more so than for Grisham. Those two are probably the most likely to be shipped off if Spencer Jones becomes undeniable, but if I’m Brian Cashman, I’m taking calls for Dominguez far more seriously.
Obviously it’s better for the Yankees outfield if Spencer Jones is okay instead of bad, but it does make things trickier for the front office. Jones hits lefty, as do Cody Bellinger, Grisham, and Dominguez. Dominguez switch hits, but shouldn’t; he’s hit .198 against southpaws in his career with one home run. A so-so Jones will essentially leave the Yankees with four lefty outfielders, only one of whom hits lefties well (Bellinger).
Jones, for his part, has hit lefties adequately in the minors. If he’s able to handle them at a similar level in the Majors, then I think the best answer for the Yankees is to make him, Grisham, and Dominguez a three-man platoon. When a lefty is throwing, you put Jones in left and Bellinger in center, while Stanton stays at DH. When a righty is throwing, you plug Dominguez or Grisham into the DH spot and keep the outfield as is. Jones can also play center if need be. Three spots for five players isn’t ideal, but at least it will guarantee less wear and tear on the infinitely fragile Stanton, who you want at full strength for the playoffs.
This scenario could force Bellinger to play more first base and Ben Rice to get behind the plate, which he hasn’t done all season. To put it simply, Jones being average will result in a massive headache for Aaron Boone as he draws up the Yankees outfield/1B/C/DH situation every day. Someone’s gonna get screwed no matter what. Brian Cashman will probably still explore a trade of Dominguez or Grisham here. A utility infielder who hits lefties well would be ideal, but a solid backend reliever is always a good move while preparing for a playoff push.
No sweat, big man. Back to the minors you go, hopefully to learn how to put the ball in play at a higher rate. It’s better for someone like Jones to get at bats in Triple-A Scranton than rot at the end of the bench in the big leagues. Grisham won’t be as bad as he has been so far, and Dominguez will be back in a month. Bellinger, Rice, and Judge have been tremendous, and he’ll mix and match Grisham, Dominguez, and Stanton into the remaining outfield and DH spot. You also have Paul Goldschmidt and Bellinger available to spell Rice at 1B if he catches or needs a breather. Probably no need for a trade in this scenario. Just return what you were doing, the Yankees outfield will be fine. They’re on pace for 105 wins anyway.
The Yankees outfield will soon be a tricky puzzle to solve. Lucky for them, the pieces they’re playing with are either playing at an MVP level or loaded with upside. Who knows how much slack Aaron Boone still has as the Yankees skipper? There certainly won’t be many excuses for his team falling short this season.
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