The New York Yankees defensive inefficiency came back to bite them at the worst possible time – who could ever forget World Series Game 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, in which the Bronx Bombers blew a 5-0 lead with two outs thanks in large part to mental and physical errors. The Yankees defense should be much-improved in 2025, with Paul Goldschmidt playing third base and Cody Bellinger in center field.
The Yankees hope their newcomers, paired with a full season of Jazz Chisholm, Anthony Volpe and Oswald Peraza, will solidify the infield. Third base remains a question – DJ LeMahieu could win that starting spot – but either him or Peraza should offer some consistency at the position. The outfield is a different question, especially at the corner spots.
While Bellinger is a capable center fielder, and Aaron Judge moving back to his old position in right favors New York, it was left fielder Jasson Dominguez who made the first oopsie of the spring at Steinbrenner Field. Dominguez lost the ball in the sun, which could be an issue in any number of MLB regular season games during the dog days of summer.
Yankees new lineup was an embarrassment thanks to Jasson Dominguez and Aaron Boone
It didn’t help matters that the Yankees lost the game, 4-0, to the Detroit Tigers.
Dominguez should help the lineup immensely over the course of a full season, and has even been in discussions as a possible leadoff hitter. On Sunday, as part of an effort to emphasize infield defense, that honor went to Chisholm Jr. However, Dominguez is excited for his next opportunity.
“He’s one of the guys I’m considering for it,” Boone said about Dominguez. “I’ll play around with some things here as we go, but I at least think that’s a possibility.”
One of the main criticisms of Boone is that he fiddle too much. Like a fantasy football manager just an hour before the early slate, Boone struggles to understand when he gets in his own way. The Yankees have any number of potential leadoff hitters and lineups that would make them favorites against most the American League. Boone’s issue is that he has too many options.
While it’s only spring, Yankees fans received another taste of why extending Boone comes with some risk.
