There’s something bittersweet about baseball in the Pacific Northwest — like fog curling over the Sound before first pitch.
The New York Yankees, still carrying the weight of an intense series win over the Athletics, now set their sights on Seattle.
It’s a new city, a new challenge, but the stakes remain just as high.
They’ll take on the AL West-leading Mariners on Monday night at T-Mobile Park, hoping to keep the momentum rolling.
This isn’t just another game—it’s a tone-setter, a test of depth, grit, and lineup decisions that could echo into October.
Clarke Schmidt gets the start with momentum on his side
Clarke Schmidt takes the mound, fresh off a confident outing and part of a team that’s humming with quiet purpose.
After snagging two out of three from the Athletics in Sacramento over the weekend, Schmidt will look to continue his solid stretch.
He’s not just filling innings anymore—he’s growing into someone the Yankees can lean on.
There’s a rhythm to his recent starts that fans have noticed: fewer mistakes, more conviction, a better command.
Boone tweaks the lineup, giving Dominguez a breather
When Jasson Dominguez crushed three homers on Friday and added a two-hit performance on Sunday, it felt like something special.
The kind of weekend that writes itself into a rookie’s legend. But on Monday, his name was curiously absent from the starting nine.
Manager Aaron Boone made the call to rest Dominguez, likely for defensive reasons as T-Mobile Park has a challenging outfield.
Monday Night Baseball.#RepBX pic.twitter.com/Na8r804tcH
— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 12, 2025
It’s the kind of calculated decision that invites debate but shows Boone’s confidence in his roster.
Cody Bellinger takes over in left field and bats fifth. In center, Trent Grisham slides into the leadoff spot, providing pop, speed and defense up the middle.
Aaron Judge remains in right field, holding down the two-hole with his usual mix of menace and menace.
New faces and familiar names shape Monday’s order
At designated hitter, Ben Rice gets a shot to make an impact batting third—a move that shows Boone’s willingness to trust youth in big moments.
Paul Goldschmidt, the veteran presence at first base, bats cleanup, hoping to ignite the middle of the order with his characteristic discipline and pop.
Rounding out the lineup are some familiar names: Anthony Volpe at shortstop, batting sixth, followed by catcher Austin Wells. Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza fill in the final two spots, manning third and second base respectively.
It’s a lineup that blends power, speed, and youth, designed for flexibility and matchup leverage rather than just star power.
The Martian watches from the stars—for now
For fans still riding the high of Dominguez’s fireworks in Sacramento, seeing him sit might feel like taking the battery out of a firework before the Fourth of July.
But baseball, much like a long road trip, requires strategic pacing.
In any case, the Yankees are going with their best defensive alignment in the outfield to play Seattle, and that’s likely what made Boone rest his budding star.
This series matters more than the standings say
Though it’s still May, these inter-division matchups carry a postseason scent. The Mariners, atop the AL West, have been one of the tougher teams at home.
For the Yankees, this is more than just another road game—it’s a chance to prove they can adjust, endure, and thrive, even when one of their hottest bats is watching from the rail.
The Yankees are treating every game like a building block, each one a brick in the foundation of a postseason push.
And with Clarke Schmidt leading the charge and the lineup reshuffling like a well-played hand of cards, Monday’s game feels like it might just reveal something deeper about this team’s character.
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