Well, everyone has their own sayings and traditional beliefs, right? It seems like Jasson Domínguez has one of his own, and who can blame him? His journey with the Yankees has been a rollercoaster—working hard to earn a spot, only to be sidelined by injury and having to fight his way back. We all know one remembers their roots at their lowest for sure.

Jasson admitted he often thinks of a popular Dominican saying during this challenging time: ‘Tanto nadar para morir en la orilla.’ And don’t worry, I’ve got the English translation for you—it means, ‘So much swimming just to die on the shore.’ It perfectly captures the struggle of putting in hard work just to get a chance to accomplish their dreams. You know that feeling, right? That moment when you’re on the brink of achieving something you’ve worked so hard for, only to have it slip away?

Yes, that’s exactly what the 21-year-old was experiencing. But what’s behind those feelings?

How did Domínguez feel comfort in this saying?

See, the Martian entered the Yankees scene last year, lighting things up with 4 home runs in just 10 games! The outfielder quickly built a crazy fan base, and everyone was buzzing about his potential. But then, bam! Things took a 360 turn when he injured his elbow. The young blood arrived in style, but that injury knocked him off his game. After needing Tommy John surgery, he found himself sidelined for an entire season, and he described the experience as “it was crushing.”

Honestly, who wouldn’t feel that way? Not being able to play for so long can be downright scary, especially for someone who just debuted! In the same statement, Jasson Domínguez reflected on the moment when he got injured, looking around at Yankee Stadium, wondering, “Is this it? Will I ever get back here?” But, despite those daunting thoughts, hope didn’t fade.

The reason? An outpouring of support from fans! Their nonstop comments on social media, reassuring him he would be back soon, sparked confidence that this journey wasn’t just about reaching the shore and sinking—it was about rising. With that motivation, he jumped into rehab, determined to make a comeback. And the fan support didn’t stop there!

“All this love, man — for real. It was like … I felt it straight in my heart, you know? And it just flipped a switch in me like, Nah … I am done feeling bad for myself. I’m done thinking I’m cursed. I’m done with all that negativity. I don’t know what the future holds.… But I can promise you one thing. I didn’t come this far just to die on the shore,” Domínguez revealed to The Players Tribune.

Even after getting fit, the 21-year-old faced a frustrating wait for a chance to play in the Majors. The Yankees were in a tough spot, needing a lineup shakeup but hesitating to call up the young talent. But then something amazing happened—fans started shouting and demanding his return! Their voices echoed through the Bronx, making it clear they wanted to see him back on the field. And guess what? Whether it was the fans’ influence or not, Jasson Domínguez made his comeback to the Bronx just a week ago!

Jasson Domínguez and his solid comeback to the Bronx Bomber

Jasson finally broke free from his slump on Tuesday night, blasting a laser home run during the New York Yankees‘ dominant win over the Mariners in Seattle. It was a moment that sent the crowd into a frenzy, but despite the fireworks, Domínguez is still sitting at just .167 with a .577 OPS in his limited 28 plate appearances. That homer could be the spark he needs, but if it doesn’t ignite a hot streak, C-Mac has thrown out the idea that Alex Verdugo might step in for him during the playoffs!

So after all the hardships to make a comeback, there’s still no locked-in spot for the young talent in the lineup. See, there’s no denying that Alex Verdugo struggled at the plate for a good stretch, leaving fans cheering for Domínguez to get the call-up. But maybe it can be a player’s block, just like the writer’s block. Because now things might be shifting!

If we take a look at Tuesday’s game, Verdugo picked up a hit and scored two runs in the victory. Over the last 19 games, he’s batting .304 with two home runs and a .757 OPS. That’s a bit of an improvement, right?

And, if Verdugo keeps heating up while Domínguez struggles to find his rhythm in the majors after a tough season of injuries, it could spell trouble for the 21-year-old. Making a solid comeback after an injury isn’t easy, and if that scenario plays out, we might just see Verdugo playing left field come October. So maybe ‘the curse’ isn’t fully over yet for the Martian. What do you think? Who should be the one playing in October? Or should the team find a way to keep them both? Let us know in the comments!