Alex Verdugo will be in left field when the Yankees open the ALDS against the Royals on Saturday night.
The outfielder told The Post after Friday’s workout at the Stadium, “I’ll be in there,’’ when asked about Saturday’s lineup.
Though manager Aaron Boone declined to announce a starter Friday, a source confirmed Verdugo would be in left.
Alex Verdugo, flipping his bat after hitting a homer in September, will be the Yankees’ starting left fielder in Game 1 of the ALDS.Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The move to go with Verdugo over rookie Jasson Dominguez is hardly surprising for several reasons.
Verdugo has had some success against Kansas City’s Game 1 starter, right-hander Michael Wacha (3-for-11 with a double) and has been better in left defensively than Dominguez, who remains inexperienced in the spot.
He also hit well in the playoffs for the Red Sox during their playoff run to the ALCS in 2021, with an OPS of .835 over 11 games.
What made the decision tricky is that Verdugo has struggled at the plate for much of the season and the Yankees called up Dominguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre with the hope he could provide a spark.
Dominguez, who has spent most of his time in the minors in center, did play in left on a fairly regular basis this year, but he was limited first by a late start to the season after coming back from Tommy John surgery last year and then was sidelined for five weeks mid-season by an oblique injury.
Jasson Dominguez, who suffered through some defensive struggles in September, will not be on the bench for the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS.Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The 21-year-old said after Friday’s workout he had not been told if he was playing Saturday.
“I’d prefer to know, but it is what it is,’’ Dominguez said. “I’ll prepare myself either way.”
Dominguez hit four homers in his first eight games when he was a late-season call-up last year, but didn’t produce much at the plate this past September when given another shot.
In 17 games since his Sept. 9 arrival, the switch-hitting Dominguez has an OPS of just .660, while the lefty-swinging Verdugo finished the year with an OPS of .647, and just .554 since June 15.
Asked what he thought of his performance over the past several weeks with the Yankees, Dominguez said, “It could be better. There’s room for improvement.”
He said he’d been getting more reps in left field during simulated games at the Stadium this week and the more he plays there, the more comfortable he is.
Still, it’s not an ideal time to be learning a new position after he spent most of his professional career in center.
And the glare of the playoffs figure to make it even rougher for Dominguez.
SOurce : nypost.com
