Sports
Should the Yankees call up Jasson Domínguez and start him over Alex Verdugo?
NEW YORK — On Friday, top New York Yankees prospect Jasson Domínguez was with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, starting in left field and batting second.
On Sunday, Major League Baseball active rosters will expand from 26 players to 28. That would allow the Yankees to call up Domínguez without needing to kick someone else out to make room for him.
Will they do it?
“I don’t know,” manager Aaron Boone said before Friday’s series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Yankee Stadium. “We’ll see. We haven’t made that decision. So, I don’t know.”
But should they call up Domínguez? The Athletic’s Yankees beat reporters Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty discuss.
Jasson Domínguez zooms around the bases on his first triple of 2024 in 11.75 seconds! (110.5 mph EV, no less.)
Only SS Anthony Volpe has posted a faster home-to-third among players still in the @Yankees org this season.@swbrailriders | @NYYPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/LiIE28HmBo
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 28, 2024
Should the Yankees call up Domínguez?
Kirschner: This should be an obvious decision given the options available to the club. The answer is a resounding yes. He may be a difference-maker for the Yankees down the stretch and into October.
Left field has been one of the weakest positions for the Yankees this year. Going into Friday, their combined 84 wRC+ ranked 24th in MLB. Defensively, they were 13th among all teams in outs above average in left field. And they were last in Statcast’s baserunning above average. The bar would be low for Domínguez to prove that he could outperform what the Yankees have already received from left fielders this year.
The Yankees will likely be cautious about how much Domínguez plays if he is called up, as they’ll want to ensure he retains his rookie status for 2025. He needs to stay under the career 130 at-bat threshold to be considered a rookie next year (Domínguez has 35 career at-bats). If he wins Rookie of the Year in 2025, the Yankees would receive a conditional draft pick at the end of the first round.
There’s no downside. They need to see if Domínguez can win the everyday left-field job.
Kuty: You make compelling points, Chris. I’ll play Devil’s Advocate.
Would calling up Domínguez and giving him a month-long audition be exciting? Absolutely. Could you also argue that it may be impractical? Perhaps.
There’s no guarantee Domínguez would arrive in the Bronx and immediately put on the show he did in his debut last year, hitting four home runs with a .980 OPS in eight games before tearing his ulnar collateral ligament. That was electric. It would also be asking a lot.
Last year, when Domínguez broke into the majors on Sept. 1, the Yankees were hardly in contention. They were three games under .500. They were 17 1/2 games back in the AL East. The Yankees talked like they were still going for it, but a playoff-less October felt like a near inevitability. There was little pressure for Domínguez.
This would be different. Could he handle it? He absolutely could. He’s handled all the hype that came with his franchise-record $5.1 million signing bonus at age 16. But there’s no denying it would be a lot to put on the shoulders of the 21-year-old. Not to mention our next question …
If they called him up, what happens to the roster?
Kirschner: Yankees manager Aaron Boone said if Domínguez were to be called up, they would ideally want him playing regularly to not stunt his development. That would mean Alex Verdugo would lose his starting job. It may also mean Trent Grisham gets pushed down further on the depth chart. On the days Aaron Judge started as the team’s designated hitter, Domínguez could start in center field.
Maybe the Yankees wouldn’t want to ruffle the clubhouse by replacing Verdugo — whom Judge personally advocated trading for this offseason and in years prior — to start a rookie. But Verdugo has had nearly a season’s worth of games to prove he shouldn’t compete with a rookie for his job, and he’s failed.
He’s graded out as a negative offensively, on the base paths and public advanced defensive metrics are split on his value. Is that not enough for the organization to believe it may be able to do better by trying someone different? And if Domínguez doesn’t work out over the next month, well, they’ve remained in first place with Verdugo being one of MLB’s worst everyday position players.
There seems to be a higher likelihood of Domínguez being a more impactful player than Verdugo in October.
Kuty: I could see that. You certainly could argue that Domínguez has a higher ceiling offensively than Verdugo — even in the short term. There’s no sugarcoating it: The 28-year-old has not been what the Yankees expected at the plate.
The Devil’s Advocate argument, though, would be that Verdugo has actually looked like a strong and, at times, excellent defensive left fielder. He’s had a few memorable gaffes, but he’s also someone I think makes just about all the routine plays, sacrifices his body and has a heck of an arm. Plus, he’d be much more familiar with the position than Domínguez when it’s crunch time in October.
If the Yankees were to promote Domínguez and bench Verdugo, I think there would be a non-zero chance the team could designate Trent Grisham for assignment and have Verdugo take over his role as fourth outfielder.
Understanding that it’s a small sample, Verdugo has looked a bit better at the plate lately. Entering Friday, he was on a five-game hitting streak (.421 BA, 1.029 OPS), which coincided with when he switched to batting gloves made with materials that stopped causing allergic reactions on his skin. Verdugo struck out in all three of his at-bats Friday night.
As for the clubhouse, I think it would handle the move fine. Like you said, Verdugo has had plenty of time to prove himself, and it’s not like they would be replacing him with a nobody.
What do we think happens?
It’s not a slam dunk that Domínguez will be the choice on Sunday. If the Yankees decide to make an internal move, Domínguez is likely the candidate.
However, the Yankees could opt for an external candidate. The St. Louis Cardinals designated Tommy Pham for assignment on Friday. If the Yankees are looking for a platoon partner for Verdugo, signing Pham might be a good move. Pham has a .762 OPS this year against left-handed pitching, whereas Verdugo had a .609 OPS against lefties entering Friday. Another external option would be Robbie Grossman, whom the Texas Rangers designated for assignment on Thursday. Grossman’s OPS against lefties is .819 OPS this season and .809 for his career.
All season, the Yankees have lauded Verdugo for his bat-to-ball skills. If they wanted to keep playing him often, having a platoon partner could be the best way to maximize his production.
(Photo of Jasson Domínguez: Cliff Welch / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Sports
‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
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LAS VEGAS – Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio were once brothers in arms in the Judgment Day. The two helped the faction run “Monday Night Raw” for several years.
As championships and opportunities came and went, the rift between Balor and Mysterio grew. It came to a head when Balor caused Mysterio to lose the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Balor leaving the Judgment Day left Mysterio and Liv Morgan as the leaders with JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez sticking around.
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The latter four chose to ride with Mysterio and attacked Balor on one episode of Raw.
The bitter war led to a match Sunday night at WrestleMania 42. To make matters more interesting, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce made the match a street fight hours before the show was set to begin.
Balor had vowed to bring the “Demon” out and he certainly did.
JACOB FATU PUTS DREW MCINTYRE IN THE ‘REAR VIEW’ IN UNSANCTIONED MATCH AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Finn Balor is introduced before his match against Dominik Mysterio during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Balor made his way to the ring in his “Demon” gear, dripping with red and black paint. Mysterio was in a mask with other Mysterio supporters.
The two then proceeded to beat the crud out of each other.
Mysterio wrapped Balor’s head in between a chair and hit a 619 on him. He tried to pin Balor, but to no avail. At another point, Mysterio tossed Balor through a table set up in the corner.
As many have learned, it’s hard to keep your demons down. Mysterio learned the hard way.
Balor would not give up. Balor clotheslined Mysterio, hit him with a chair multiple times before wrapping his head in between the chair and drop-kicking him into the corner. Balor put Mysterio onto a table and hit the Coup de Grâce for the win.
Dominik Mysterio is introduced before his match against Finn Balor during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 19, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Balor excised his own demons, while Mysterio is still haunted.
Sports
Ryan Ward has a solid debut, but bullpen blows it again as Dodgers lose to Rockies
DENVER — What do you know? The once-stampeding Dodgers have been caged by the Colorado Rockies.
With a 9-6 loss Sunday at Coors Field, the two-time defending World Series champions lost back-to-back games for the first time this season. The Dodgers again couldn’t hold a lead, letting the Rockies tee off for 15 hits.
Nor could the Dodgers keep up offensively at the hitter-friendly park — though they put some pressure on in the ninth inning, when Shohei Ohtani led off with a ground-rule double and the Dodgers scored twice to cut the lead to three runs. Then the new guy, Ryan Ward, made the final out in his big league debut, robbed of a hit and a chance to keep chipping away by a diving Troy Johnston in right field.
Before that, the Rockies — who beat the Dodgers twice in 13 meetings all of last season — chased starter Roki Sasaki from the game in the fifth inning and then ruffled the Dodgers’ relievers. That included closer Edwin Díaz, who came on in the eighth and promptly gave up three singles, a walk and two runs before being pulled with the Dodgers trailing 8-4.
Dodgers starting pitcher Roki Sasaki gave up three runs on seven hits in 4-2/3 innings Sunday against the Rockies in Denver.
(David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
He and Blake Treinen combined to face eight batters without getting an out.
“They both weren’t sharp,” said manager Dave Roberts, who had theories but not many answers — though he did have real concern, especially about Díaz, who recently had his right knee checked out by the medical staff.
Roberts said the closer wanted to pitch after nine days off, even though it wasn’t a save situation. But his velocity was slightly down (95.4 mph vs. 95.8) and so, “today was a tough evaluation,” the manager said.
“It really was,” Roberts said. “Because, you know, I know what it’s supposed to look like, and when it doesn’t look like that, it gets a little concerning, really.”
And losing for the second time to the Rockies, who are now 9-13? Being in danger of losing their four-game series, after arriving in Denver without having lost to a National League opponent, against a club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2018?
It’s well below the bar the Dodgers have set, and it added a bitter note to Ward’s otherwise sweet debut.
Ward punched a big league clock for the first time wearing No. 67 and cranked his first hit off Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning, lining a changeup to right field for a single that scored Andy Pages, made it 3-0 and got the 20-some members of Ward’s party up, jumping in place, hugging and high-fiving.
“When I was on first base, I got to see them all jumping around up there,” Ward said. “That was a pretty special moment.”
He also singled in the sixth and swung on the first pitch in his first at-bat, a fly out in the third inning.
The Dodgers gave Sasaki a 2-0 lead in the third. Alex Freeland drove in Hyeseong Kim, and Shohei Ohtani doubled in Freeland — and extended his career-best on-base streak to 51 games, moving past Willie Keeler into third place in Dodgers history.
Sasaki went 4-2/3 innings, threw 78 pitches and gave up three runs on seven hits, striking out two and walking two. His ERA after his fourth start: 6.11, worst in the six-man rotation.
The Dodgers fell behind 6-5 in the seventh when Treinen — who was cleared Friday after he was struck in the head by a batted ball during batting practice — gave up four consecutive hits, including a two-run home run by Mickey Moniak.
The result likely will be a minor detail when Ward tells the story years from now about getting the call after first baseman Freddie Freeman was placed on the paternity list.
The Dodgers’ No. 19 prospect and reigning Pacific Coast League MVP spent the last seven years in the minors. Last season, he hit 36 home runs and drove in 122 runs with a .937 on-base-plus-slugging percentage for triple-A Oklahoma City, and he has a 1.020 OPS and four homers this year.
Ward made it a point to improve his chase rate, draw more walks and get on base more frequently, everything the Dodgers asked of him. He also passed the broadest patience test.
“The plate discipline, being a better hitter … he’s done all that,” Roberts said. “He’s improved his defense. But honestly, for me, just not to let his lack of opportunity in the big leagues deter him. That’s easy when you get frustrated and let it affect performance, and he hasn’t done that.”
If anything, Ward said, the waiting made him better.
“I used it to keep going. ‘OK, if I’m not there yet, what do I have to do to get there?’” he said. “‘What part of my game do I need to work on to keep getting better?’
“I used it as fire to keep working.”
That will be the Dodgers’ assignment too.
In the finale of the four-game series Monday, the Dodgers are expected to start left-hander Justin Wrobleski (2-0, 2.12) against Colorado left-hander Jose Quintana (0-1, 5.63).
Sports
ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd
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LAS VEGAS – Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.
While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.
The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”
Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.
WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME
Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)
Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”
Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.
“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”
Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)
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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.
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