1:00pm: The Yankees provided reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, with an update regarding the surgery. As Martino reported, it’s true that internal bracing may be possible during the surgery, but the club is still estimating a timeline of nine to ten months regardless.
12:25pm: A full Tommy John surgery could still be avoided, reports Andy Martino of SNY. He says that the possibility of bracing will be determined during the surgery. That could perhaps lessen the recovery timeline, though further updates will surely follow the procedure.
10:55am: Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez will undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday of next week, manager Aaron Boone announced to reporters Thursday (link via Chris Kirschner of The Athletic). It was already known that Dominguez would require surgery of some type to address the damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, but the Yankees and Dominguez were still gathering information before determining whether he’d need a full UCL reconstruction (i.e. Tommy John surgery) or a less-invasive procedure, such as a primary repair or internal brace. Dominguez’s estimated MLB return is nine to ten months, tweets MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, so he’ll likely miss close to half the 2024 season.
While Dominguez, the team and its fans are all surely glad to have some clarity on a formal diagnosis and treatment plan, it’s nonetheless an obvious gut-punch to all parties after Dominguez’s impressive debut earlier this month. The 20-year-old switch-hitter has been lauded as one of the game’s top prospects since signing with the Yankees on for a $5.1MM bonus as an international amateur back on July 2, 2019. He did little to sway that thinking upon his call to the big leagues, ripping an opposite-field homer off Justin Verlander in his first at-bat before going on to hit .258/.303/.677 with four homers and a double in his first 33 MLB plate appearances.
Dominguez’s debut effort lasted just eight games, but the month of September had been shaping up to be an audition for a full-time role in next year’s outfield. The early stages of that audition were a clear success, and there appeared to be a real chance that Dominguez would open the 2024 season as New York’s primary center fielder (or perhaps left fielder, depending on the progress of fellow prospect Everson Pereira and on any offseason dealings). The Yankees waived Harrison Bader in late August — the Reds subsequently claimed him — and will see utilityman Isiah Kiner-Falefa join Bader in free agency this winter.
An absence of nine to ten months rather clearly disrupts any plans for Dominguez to take over a full-time spot in the outfield. The Yankees will still want to take a look at Dominguez in a full-time role when he returns, but his injury increases the chances that the Yanks will at least pursue a veteran stopgap in center field to help bridge that gap. Bader seems quite likely to command a multi-year deal this offseason even on the heels of a tough year at the plate, given his defensive excellence. There aren’t many true short-term options on the free-agent market, though Aaron Judge’s ability to play center field could allow the Yankees to deploy him there for a few months and look into short-term upgrades in the outfield corners.
Whatever route the Yankees pursue, Dominguez will open the 2024 campaign on the Major League 60-day injured list and accrue both service time and big league pay while he rehabs. The injury will make it highly unlikely that he’ll have the playing time required to push himself into American League Rookie of the Year voting next year, thus reducing the probability of the Yankees benefiting in the third year of MLB”s “prospect promotion incentive” system that was implemented in the 2022-26 collective bargaining agreement.
Otherwise, Dominguez’s injury won’t do much to change impact his service time or long-term club control. He was likely to open the season on the roster anyhow, making a full year of service in 2024 the likeliest outcome. That’s still the case, and assuming he collects that full year in ’24, he’ll be under team control via the arbitration system through the 2029 season. The timing of Dominguez’s call to the Majors this year doesn’t put him anywhere near Super Two trajectory, so he’ll be eligible for arbitration following the 2026 season, barring any future optional assignments that could change that timeline.
Bring back IKF on a cheap 1yr deal. Or possibly get Bader depending on his price. I think CF, C and SS should be defense first. IKF would be a decent likely cheap option for the short term.
Ikf and Bader are both bench pieces for a team trying to contend
Bader’s market is going to be stronger than most suspect. Teams view it as a defense first position and the market for CFers is not strong. I’m putting Bader in the free agent category when he signs somewhere fans will be like: “He got how much?!”
Yankees need to focus squarely on players with out injury history, Bader is another Ellsbury type (big fan of Ellsbury BTW) and we need to use our cash elsewhere. Yankees also need to avoid the High strike out guys like Bellinger (we already have 2 high K% guys with Judge and Stanton) we dont heed a 3rd of the line up having high K%. need another guy like Brett Gardner, and we need to sign players like Masataka Yoshida/Luis Arraez (High AVG Low K% guys).. If the padres dont sign him, we need to sign Lee Jung Hoo from the KBO. and Yoshinobu Yamamoto/Shota Imanaga.
Above all we need great left handed hitters..
Yeah, Bader seems like one of those players you assume will only get $5-$10M AAV on a 2-3 year deal and he will somehow land a 5 year/$72.5M deal or something like that with about $11.5M of his annual salary representing his defensive value.
Then again he’s been terrible overall this year, regressed a ton-
My actual prediction is 1 year/$6M guaranteed and if he bounces back, he will convert that into 2 years/$30M guaranteed at $14.5M a year with a $1M buyout on a $16M option.
Basically a token raise to match his current salary on a ‘prove it’ contract and he has to hope he can bounce back to secure the 2 year/$30M payday, but with his injury track record and inconsistent performance, I don’t think he’ll get a long term contract.
Senzapaura: No way is Miami letting Arraez go. As for the other players, believe it or not, not everyone wants to play for the Yankees
Trillionaire, I don’t think he’ll get a 5/72.5, but I’m confident he’ll get more than a 1/6!
Was saying players like Arraez (not arraez himself)
It made ZERO sense to get rid of Bader. He was the fan favorite. Yes, even above Judge. It was blatantly obvious. Not only that, but I’m very suspicious of that outfield play from last year where Judge and Bader crossed wires. I don’t think Judge liked him because he was the clear runaway choice for CF. We all know judge wants to play CF and look cool. Maybe—maybe—Cashman will realize the ramifications of displeasing the baseball gods one day.
This is the funniest comment of the season. Kudos.
@Briar How does one be fan favorite if you’re never healthy nor hit well? I don’t know how Judge would seemingly want to play CF with a bad toe. I can’t tell if yours is a troll post.
I’m not convinced we’ll see him before next September. He’s their top prospect, so I can see them being very cautious and conservative on his recovery schedule. Harper made it back quickly, but he DH’d and it took awhile for his power to return. Dominguez will need to play the OF and throw from the start. So we’re looking July at the earliest. One additional complicating factor—Service time. The Yankees may very well try to get back this lost year to delay his free agency. He’ll need 52 days in AAA for the Yankees to get that year back. Add his 21 days initial rehab and 52 days back in the minors, and we’re into September.
Maybe I’m jaded and they won’t do that, but they may be considering it. If so, they need two OFers this offseason.
hal witnessed how much excitement dominguez can generate. i think he smells money and if anything they might rush him back
It’s funny you think he won’t be able to DH.
drasco036, it’s not that I don’t believe he can DH, I simply don’t believe the Yankees will have moved on from their current DH. They should move on, but they won’t…yet.
@Lord I don’t think letting him DH in the minors would be a terrible idea as he hasn’t spent much time in AAA. Invite him again to S.T. to work out. It’s going take him a few weeks to get back into an OF flow anyway once he can throw again. The 52 days can be easily covered.
@LordD99 If he is put on the 60 day-IL, he’s going to accrue service time no matter what and be paid and the MLB minimum salary.
Dorothy_Mantooth, understood. Dominguez is currently on the 10-day IL, but he’s heading toward the 60-day IL, which is where he’ll start the 2024 season. What I’m suggesting is after he does his 21-day rehab assignment, probably in June, the Yankees MIGHT then send him back down and assign him to AAA where they’ll keep him for 52 days. I’m not predicting it, but it shouldn’t be discounted either. Much will depend on what’s happening with them next year, but if the circumstances presents itself, they may send him back to the minors to get that year back.
@BK What’s wrong with Volpe’s defense? It’s been league average at worst depending on the metrics you use. They have Trevino and Wells next season so C is covered.
Doesn’t Volpe have the 3rd or 4th best defense at SS in the AL? If I’m wrong sorry.
Volpe has one of MLB’s highest outs conversions for balls he can reach. The knock on him is range and less than one year’s worth of sample size data can be noisy.
IKF sucks
Go get Bellinger and Carlson
Carlson is hurt…don’t need another medical issue player……who hits .240 but oh man can really barrel up the ball when he makes contact…..240 is actually 24 successful balls in play in 100….the Yankees already have too many of those types…
I think for a platoon guy he’s fine if the OF is Bellinger and Judge everyday and Carlson, Pereira, and Stanton can all mix in the third spot till Dominguez is back.
Him and Ohtani both with bum wings. Just not fair to fans and draft king players
The baseball gods suck.
@Clofreesz
Baseball gods are not happy with all these ridiculous rule changes. Oh well, I guess we shaved a few minutes off the game time so the TV execs are happy.
Baseball gods just finally sticking it to the Yankees… about time
I think the Yankees are sticking it to the Yankees. Cashman is a mediocre at best GM, most of their drafted players are overhyped, and as an organization they have no idea how to keep players conditioned. All teams have injuries, and some GM’s know how to draft. The mariners lost 2 of their starters in the first month, but dipoto knows how to draft!!
Dr. Boonedoggle will perform a Tom Johnny procedure to fix his whatsit with a thingy.
i hate it when posters use technical language to make the rest of us feel dumb
Yankees are looking at a repeat of 2023 in 2024. It’s unlikely that they contend. Use 24 to find out about your healthy prospects. If there’s some values in FA market, sure, but they have enormous amounts of dead weight contracts right now….why spend a ton when 2024 isn’t likely to be a highly competitive year. They put Bader on waivers because they knew he’d be picked….if they really want him back they can always ry to sign him…but do you really think he’s worth a multiyear, eight figure per year deal? Because he might get it. Maybe they should spend on Jordan Montgomery….
Bader isn’t going to get an 8-figure deal. He’ll be lucky to get a $50MM/4 plus a team option year if Kevin Kiermaier’s history is any indication. Next season as it currently stands, the rotation will be Cole, Rodon, Nestor, King, Schmidt, and German(?)/Brito/Vasquez so signing Monty would be excessive for a bridge year. Their priorities should be another outfielder and a reliever.
$50MM/4 is an eight figure deal.
I read it as nine-figure total deal. My bad.
Nestor may have finally been outed as a “guile type ” pitcher whose El Tianti multiple arm angles and quick pitches have run their course….can’t count on him….German may never be back…..Monty should be a priority given his taking the ball every 5th day for the past 3 seasons and putting up good numbers also….without starting pitching the bullpen is gasses by August and given that you’re going to loose arms just like this year, having starters that can go 6+ is a real advantage especially when you do have the bullpen the Yankees do…
Monty is going to sign with Boston this offseason. You heard it here first!
Cody Bellinger was going to be a Yankee even before this injury news.
Sign Bellinger to play the outfield for next year. He can then slide over to left field when Dominguez is ready or move to 1st base after Rizzo is gone.
Bellinger’s defense would be a complete waste in LF. He either needs to play CF or at worst RF where he can use his canon of an arm to throw out baserunners. I have a feeling that the Cubs are going to re-sign him anyways, even with PCA coming up. They absolutely love him in Chicago and he seems to love it there as well.