Is Alex Verdugo still getting regular at-bats?  The Yankees’ decision to keep top outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez at Triple-A, while Alex Verdugo continues to struggle, is downright head-scratching. Verdugo has been facing a black hole at the plate for months; since mid-June, he’s sported a brutal .547 OPS. Which is among the worst in the MLB, yet, he’s still on the roster.

Meanwhile, Jasson Dominguez is tearing it up in the minors, with a .310 average and a .870 OPS. He has serious star potential and could be the game-changer the Yankees desperately need. Imagine him slotting into the lineup alongside Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm Jr.—that’s incredible, with the potential to obliterate pitching staffs! In a pre-September meeting, multiple Yankees executives pushed for Dominguez’s promotion, but Cashman and Boone’s faith in Verdugo prevailed.

Why is Alex Verdugo still in the Yankees’ lineup?

Yankees manager Aaron Boone and GM Brian Cashman seem to have an almost baffling loyalty to Alex. Boone was a big advocate for acquiring Verdugo in the first place, and it seems that faith hasn’t wavered. Even though his offensive struggles are glaringly obvious, Boone and Cashman appear determined to stick with him, come what may. Alex Verdugo had pointed to an allergy to his batting gloves as a possible factor in his struggles; while it’s an unfortunate issue, it’s not exactly a game-changer in terms of explaining his entire performance dip. On the other hand, Jasson Dominguez, the Yankees’ top outfield prospect, has been lighting it up in Triple-A. Yet, despite the September 1 roster expansion, he’s still not with the big league team.  

But it’s not like they don’t believe in Jasson, including his name in the trade talks for players like Juan Soto and Blake Snell, which says a lot about how highly the team officials think of him. So why isn’t he up yet? Inside the Yankees’ front office, there’s been quite the buzz about Dominguez. According to New York Post insider Jon Heyman, there was a pre-September meeting among Yankees higher-ups that turned into a heated debate over whether to promote Dominguez. Multiple executives were passionately advocating for his call-up, but Cashman and Boone’s faith in Verdugo won out.

With Giancarlo Stanton back and Jazz Chisholm Jr. joining the lineup, Dominguez’s addition could turn what’s already a strong offense into something truly terrifying. Hence, the Yankees’ decision to stick with Verdugo, despite his clear struggles, has left fans and analysts bewildered. While Dominguez is ready to make an impact now, the Yankees might be missing out on a chance to shift the momentum in their favor. 

Alex Verdugo’s ‘glove and tattoo’ mystery

The Yankees outfielder has been battling some seriously weird and painful issues this year, and it turns out there’s an unexpected culprit: his batting gloves and tattoos. Verdugo has been dealing with chronic pain and sores on his hands for the past three seasons. We’re talking about blisters that turn into scabs, with him having to wrap his palms in gauze and tape his knuckles before every game. Moreover, turns out he’s allergic to cobalt and chromate—two chemicals used in his batting gloves and even in his tattoos. So, the same stuff that’s supposed to protect his hands is actually making them worse. According to NJ.com’s Randy Miller, the Yankees’ medical team figured out that these chemicals were the problem when they sent him to an allergist.

Dr. Arthur Lubitz, a seasoned allergist from Manhattan, thinks Verdugo’s tattoos might also be contributing to the problem. Apparently, the metal inks in tattoos can cause allergies, though it’s rare. Verdugo’s reaction? Pure disbelief; “My tattoos?” he said, seemingly shocked while adding, “Man, I never thought of that.” Now, to fix this mess, the batting glove company, Franklin, has started working on a special glove for Alex Verdugo that’ll ditch the offending chemicals. As for the tattoos, there’s not much that can be done, but he is considering an injectable shot called Dupixent that might help tackle the allergic reactions overall.

Remember, before these issues cropped up, he was hitting .290 with a .345 OBP and .458 SLG. But this year, he’s struggling with a .237 average and .297 OBP—clearly not the same dynamics for a player. As a fresh shipment from Franklin landed on Saturday, Alex Verdugo wasted no time ripping open a new pair of batting gloves. “They feel the same,” Verdugo said, before the Yankees’ 9-2 loss against the Rockies.

Alex Verdugo’s reaction hints that maybe these new gloves aren’t the magic fix everyone was hoping for. Do you think Verdugo will be back to his prime after these fixes? Let us know your take in the comments below.