Imago
Credit: IMAGO
Imago
Credit: IMAGO
One pitch was all it took to cast a pall over the New York Yankees‘ dugout and raise concerns about a rising star. The 3-0 shutout loss against the Texas Rangers ruined the Yankees’ chance at a sweep. But that may not be their biggest issue right now.
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The Yankees were tied scoreless at the top of the fourth inning with Jasson Domínguez at the plate. Rangers’ Nathan Eovaldi delivered an 89 mph cutter, and Domínguez started his swing momentum. He changed his mind in a split-second to let it pass, but couldn’t move out of the way.
“You don’t really know how bad it is, and if there’s a fracture or anything like that, you need an X-ray,” the commentator was heard discussing after the HBP.
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The pitch hit the left-hander’s left elbow. He first dropped his bat and sat down. The on-field medical staff rushed to the ground as Dominguez remained in that position. Many thought that he was hit on the funny bone.
“Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. It’s kind of like when you hit your funny bone, but not really,” said one commentator.
Domínguez was visibly in pain.
The staff checked for any swelling under his long sleeves. Then asked him to move his forearm to assess the severity of his injury.
Manager Aaron Boone was standing right beside him, staring with concern. After a lengthy conversation with the medical staff, Domínguez stayed in the game to run the bases. However, he was replaced in left field by Max Schuemann before the bottom of the fourth.
Per Boone, Domínguez was in obvious pain. The X-ray revealed that he suffered a left elbow contusion, and he will go through more image testing on Thursday, an off day at home for the team. IL or not – it will probably be decided after that!
The timing of the injury couldn’t have been worse.
Jasson Dominguez is now out of the game https://t.co/isyGpHL30j pic.twitter.com/EnO88W6sOM
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 29, 2026
The Yankees had just let Randal Grichuk go, so Jasson Domínguez could step in and play every day.
Domínguez started his MLB journey with the Yankees in 2023. The 23-year-old is still in pre-arbitration and balancing his tenure between minor and major leagues. After a commendable performance through 123 MLB games last year (.257 BA, 10 HRs, and 47 RBIs), he was sent to Triple-A because of the team’s crowded outfield. The Yankees wanted him to get regular playing time, rather than sitting on the bench.
He had 30 hits, scored 15 runs, including three homers, in 24 games in the minors. That resulted in a call-up to the Yankees’ roster on April 27. However, he only managed one hit from 8 at-bats in the first two games against Texas.
His third game ended before he could even properly find his footing due to his elbow injury.
“Hopefully the tests reveal not much, and it’s just bruising, and we’ll work through it, but unknown at this point,” a concerned Boone told the reporters. But the skipper is not the only one worried about the injury being more serious.
Domínguez’s sudden exit after HBP leaves Yankees fans worried
“Hopefully just a bad sting/contusion and he’s back in there in a couple days,” wrote one fan. And the same worry has been echoed throughout the Yankees fanbase.
“If Jasson did not have bad luck, he’d have no luck at all,” read one comment. Jasson Domínguez has suffered at least one injury every year since his major league debut in September 2023.
He had to undergo a Tommy John due to a torn UCL in his right elbow after just 8 MLB games. He returned after 9 months and again suffered a grade 2 left oblique strain in June 2024. That put him out of the game for 8 weeks. Dominguez had a left thumb contusion in mid 2025, but it was a minor setback.
“He’s always hurt, and he’s constantly not putting in or anything,” one user seemed pretty upset with him.
He played 26 games in his first two years with the Yankees, recording only 14 runs and 6 HRs. But Domínguez had a stellar season in 2025, with a .719 OPS. Jasson’s minor league performance in 2026 was admirable, slashing .326/.415/.478. But his call-up to the majors had already been a struggle before the injury, as he went just 1-for-9 at the plate in the Texas series.
“Spencer Jones haters might have to get a little egg on the face. I hope JD is ok. He’s worked hard to earn his playing time,” another fan commented.
There has been some buzz about Spencer Jones among Yankees Nation. He is the No. 2 prospect for New York. Jones has recorded 35 HRs and 29 stolen bases across Double-A and Triple-A in 2025.
The 6-foot-7 giant’s agility has mesmerized many fans. With Giancarlo Stanton already landing on the 10-day IL earlier this week with a calf strain, the Yankees are suddenly short on impact bats, and fans are eager to see if Jones gets the call.
One Yankees diehard had a tough time digesting another setback for Jasson. “This is literal hell man. Guy was about to get another shot then this happens. Better be just a bruise, and they are taking extra precaution.”
As the team awaits the test results, everybody is praying for some good news, especially after the Yankees lost their final game against the Rangers. While they are still atop the AL East with a 20-11 record, the Yankees would want Jasson Domínguez to return to the roster, preferably in his Triple-A form.
Written by
Edited by
Arunaditya Aima