Spencer Jones may cool off at some point, but that time is not yet here.
The surging Yankees prospect continued his ridiculous heater, crushing three home runs in his first three at-bats Thursday afternoon with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, giving him 13 home runs through 19 games since being promoted from Double-A.
Jones seems to be playing his way into “untouchable” status entering the July 31 trade deadline, as long as the Yankees think at least some version of this hot streak is for real. If not, the 24-year-old outfielder is only raising his trade value by the day.
Of course, assuming the Yankees hold on to him at the deadline and Jones keeps dominating Triple-A, the question may soon become whether Jones is forcing his way to The Bronx.
But as the Yankees currently are constructed, there is no lane for him to get playing time as they already have Trent Grisham and Cody Bellinger playing center (where Jones has spent the bulk of his career) and Bellinger and Jasson Domínguez in left.
New York Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones #78, hitting a 2-run homer in the 6th inning of a Spring Training game on February 22, 2025.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
There is some belief the Yankees might be open to moving Domínguez for the right return, though that may be a long shot.
Scouts have credited Jones for closing some holes in his swing this season — he still was tweaking it during spring training and early in the season before settling on what an AL scout described as a “mirror image” of Aaron Judge — which has turned into a huge year as the left-handed slugger has re-established himself after a so-so 2024.
Jones has 13 home runs through 19 games since being promoted from Double-A.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I will say that I think he’s really made some nice adjustments this year,” an NL scout said this week. “He’s gotten back to trying to use the field a little bit more, not trying to pull everything, not trying to lift everything and hit home runs and let his strength and athleticism play, not force the issue, which I think he tried to do all year last year.”
The Yankees are likely to have a new reliever or two by 6:01 p.m. next Thursday.
Jonathan Loáisiga #43 of the New York Yankees reacts after giving up a two-run home run during the 7th inning.Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
But regardless of how much help they receive in trades, getting Jonathan Loáisiga straightened out is one of their top priorities in order to have their best bullpen.
The right-hander owns a 4.91 ERA, giving up seven home runs across 25 ¹/₃ innings.
He has not been a reliable option in the late innings, yet the Yankees need to keep using him there because they do not have many better options outside of Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and Tim Hill, who cannot pitch every high-leverage inning every day.
“We got to get [Loáisiga] in spots in the order where hopefully he can be successful, but we need him to be successful for this to work, especially with some of the attrition we’ve had lately with the bullpen,” manager Aaron Boone said. “The stuff is where it is when he’s been at his best. That command or putting it where he wants, that’s where he’s got to get better.”
