Yankees make Alex Verdugo-Jasson Dominguez decision for ALDS Game 1 vs Royals

All the makings are there for the New York Yankees to snap their World Series drought of 15 years in the running. But they cannot rest on their laurels, for anything can happen during October baseball. The Yankees will need to put their best foot forward in the coming weeks, beginning with their ALDS matchup against the Kansas City Royals.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone will have some looming lineup decisions to sort through, starting with who they decide to start at left field alongside the superstar duo of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. Left field has been a black hole all season long for the Yankees amid Alex Verdugo’s lackluster season, but it seems like Boone will opting to go with the 28-year-old veteran as the team’s playoff starter at the position for Game 1 of the ALDS against the Royals, according to Andy Martino of SNY.

There have been loud clamors from the Yankees faithful for Boone to bench Verdugo after going through a struggle-filled 2024 season. After all, the Yankees have a promising prospect waiting in the wings in Jasson Dominguez; Dominguez turned heads during his brief cup of coffee in the big leagues in 2023 before succumbing to a season-ending injury.

Alas, Dominguez hasn’t exactly lit the world on fire upon his return to the big-league roster in 2024. His slash line of .179/.313/.304 is hardly anything to write home about, and he’s had his fair share of troubles in navigating the unfamiliar position of left field. He should still be the Yankees’ long-term option at either left or center field (depending on where Judge’s long-term defensive home ends up being), but for now, Verdugo remains the preferred choice for Boone.

Perhaps the Yankees are simply playing the matchup game. The Royals are sending right-handed pitcher Michael Wacha out to the mound to start Game 1, so Verdugo should have the handedness-advantage in that matchup. Even then, he has struggled against right-handers and southpaws alike, so maybe it all boiled down to a defensive preference from Boone.

Can Alex Verdugo redeem himself in the eyes of Yankees fans?

Yankees fans’ expectations for Alex Verdugo have been in the gutter over the past few months. Acquired in a trade with archrival Boston Red Sox, Verdugo was expected to at least provide some solid production for the team to complete the outfield. Instead, despite playing most of his games in the hitter-friendly confines of Yankee Stadium, Verdugo has endured the worst season of his career as an everyday player.

Verdugo has sported a noodle bat all season long. The contact he makes tends to be weak, resulting in a ton of lazy groundballs and flyballs, and he has been one of the easiest outs in the MLB among everyday starters. His slash line of .233/.291/.356 is rather uninspiring and fits that of a defensive specialist off a major league team’s bench.

Instead, Verdugo has been the Yankees’ starter at left field all season long, and now, he figures to play a huge role for New York in their quest to win World Series title number 28. While seeing Verdugo on the lineup card will draw eye rolls among fans, postseason heroes have come out of nowhere in the past. Could Verdugo somehow change the narrative of his Yankees career by channeling his inner Mr. October? Only time will tell.