So Brian Cashman finally stopped staring and started signing. Took him long enough, didn’t it? After weeks of awkward posturing and all those rumors about the Mets hijacking the deal, the Yankees finally cut the check on Wednesday.
Cody Bellinger is back. Five years, $162.5 million. It’s a lot of cash, sure, but it was the necessary move. Bellinger was too vital to the 2025 roster to let walk, bringing that Gold Glove pedigree and a left-handed bat that just works in the Bronx. But while the ink is still drying on the contract, a new reality is setting in. The outfield is full. And “The Martian” might be running out of space to land.
Bellinger’s return effectively cements the starting trio for the next half-decade. You’ve got Aaron Judge in right, Trent Grisham in center, and now Bellinger patrolling left. That leaves Jasson Domínguez in a weird spot. The 22-year-old was supposed to be the switch-hitting savior of the future, the guy we’ve been hearing about since he was sixteen. But the numbers tell a different, much more concerning story. He isn’t the five-tool superstar we were promised. Not yet, anyway. Right now, he is a platoon bat with a glove that frankly scares you.
Jasson Domínguez Has a Serious Problem
Let’s take the nostalgia glasses off for a second. Domínguez has now had a full year of experience plus some sporadic cups of coffee, and the results are whelming at best. He slashed just .257/.331/.388 last season. It’s serviceable for a rookie, I guess, but it’s hardly franchise-altering stuff.
The real issue is his splits. For a touted switch-hitter, he looked completely lost from the right side of the plate. He batted a dismal .204 with a meager .569 OPS against left-handed pitching. That is ugly. Against righties, he was solid, posting a .768 OPS, but you don’t keep a top prospect around to be a platoon player.
It gets worse when you look at the defense. The Yankees need their left fielder to cover ground, especially given the expansive real estate in Yankee Stadium’s left-center gap. Domínguez ranked in the 3rd percentile for Range (Outs Above Average) and the 6th percentile for Fielding Run Value last season. He isn’t just “learning on the job.” He is actively hurting the pitching staff. When you combine a platoon bat with bottom-tier defense, you have a trade chip, not a cornerstone.
Spencer Jones Fits the Stadium Blueprint Better
This is where Spencer Jones becomes the more intriguing hold for me. While Domínguez has the MLB experience, Jones offers the physical tools that scream “Yankee Stadium.” He is a superior defender on Day 1, capable of covering center field with an athleticism that Domínguez simply hasn’t shown. And then there is the swing. Jones possesses that effortless, natural lefty loft that seems genetically engineered for the short porch.
With Bellinger now locked in, the Yankees need to go shopping for pitching. They can’t keep everyone. Domínguez’s value might never be higher than it is right now, based on name recognition and the “what if” factor. Jones feels like the higher upside play to keep, while Domínguez looks like the perfect headliner for a package to land an ace. Cashman solved his outfield problem on Wednesday. Now he has to solve the rotation, and “The Martian” might be the ticket to doing it.