For the first time all season, Jasson Dominguez is watching from the dugout for a third consecutive game. The Yankees' 22-year-old rookie hasn't started since Sunday, sitting out the entire series against the Minnesota Twins.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Dominguez is simply the odd man out and is not injured.
Dominguez entered Wednesday hitting .253/.330/.389 with nine home runs, 37 RBIs, and 19 stolen bases in 99 games. He's played in 376 plate appearances, posting a 10.1% walk rate and 27.4% strikeout rate, with a wRC+ of 102 and 0.6 WAR according to FanGraphs. Over the past month, his line sits at .262/.319/.393 with three homers, but his last week has been a struggle; he's hitting just 1-for-15 at the plate.
Advanced metrics show a mixed picture of his rookie campaign.
Baseball Savant tracks his average exit velocity at 90.7 mph and Hard-Hit Rate at 50.2%, numbers that rank among the better marks for first-year players. However, his barrel rate (6.9%) and xwOBA (.313) suggest there's room to grow when it comes to maximizing contact quality. Defensively, his Outs Above Average sits at -7, a number the Yankees will want to see improve if he's going to stick in center field long term.
The missed games raise questions only because of Dominguez's importance to the Yankees' lineup and his standing among this year's rookies. MLB.com's most recent AL Rookie of the Year poll ranked him fifth, and Baseball America's midseason rookie list had him sixth. His blend of power, speed, and on-base ability, plus the fact he's already swiped 19 bags, makes him a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent offense.
Given the Yankees' push to lock down a postseason berth, getting Dominguez's bat and legs back in the mix will be a priority.
For now, the "Martian" is grounded and it raises questions about the future.