Seems like the New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone and Alex Verdugo aren’t exactly on the same page. Boone has been seen defending Alex Verdugo, standing by him as his left fielder all the time. He was once again, we could see him defending the baseball player on Wednesday night for not running hard on a groundout. But here’s the twist—Verdugo himself seems to be at odds with Boone’s defense, totally contradicting the manager’s stance.

In the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 10-6 loss to the Rangers—when they were already trailing 5-0—Alex Verdugo hit a grounder to second base and jogged up the line, with like minimal urgency. Which isn’t ideal right? Boone, while acknowledging how it looked, didn’t take much issue with it. He came forward saying, “He’s OK. He’s beat up” and explained that Verdugo picks his spots for when he needs to hustle. But the player in question himself feels quite different.

Does Verdugo think the same as the Yankees’ manager?

Alex, when asked about being beaten up, said, “I am fine.” This straight-up contradicts the manager’s statement. But there’s another contradiction here. Aaron Boone pulled Gleyber Torres from a game last month for not hustling on a line drive to left field. That he thought was a home run, only to end up on first base. This eventually cost the New York Yankees a run. Sounds a bit similar to Alex’s, right? If you missed the action, you can catch it on Talking Yanks’ official Instagram page!

Coming back to the case, he viewed Verdugo’s situation differently on Wednesday, not pulling him until taking out the entire starting outfield at the end of the eighth inning. Are the rules different for different players? Well, Boone, although admitted that sometimes he wishes Alex would look a little better on few hits. He was on the other hand certain, “when he hits the one-hopper to the second baseman and he’s got it, I get the look. But I don’t have any issue with how hard he’s playing the game.” So does Boone have a soft spot for the 28-year-old?

Maybe, as Alex Verdugo has been underperforming for over two months, and fans have been vocal about their concerns. Despite the criticism, Boone has been notably lenient with Verdugo, even when the public is calling for a change.

Bronx fans demanding a lineup change

The fans are getting anxious and are calling for Jasson Dominguez to come back, especially after Sunday’s 14-7 loss to St. Louis. The team has been struggling since last August, and they’re still searching for their rhythm during this challenging stretch in September. New York Yankees admirers are hoping that a lineup shake-up, with Jasson returning in response to public demand, could be just what the team needs right now!

And honestly, who can blame the fans? While the Yankees have been floundering in the Majors, Jasson Dominguez has been smashing it in the minors. Can you believe he hit a two-run homer on the same night as the Yankees’ tough 14-7 loss to the Rangers? Fans are fuming, especially when you compare Domínguez’s stellar league stats against Alex Verdugo’s season-long struggles. So here’s the big question: Why isn’t Boone bringing Jasson back?

While the team manager moves have raised speculations, that the Yankees might be holding off on promoting Jasson Domínguez to keep him eligible for Rookie of the Year in 2025, that can allow the team to potentially snag draft compensation if he wins Rookie of the Year in 2025. So, could this be the reason for the delay? With Verdugo’s performance dipping and the Yankees now trailing on the leaderboard, can Boone and the Yankees reconsider their decision and call up Domínguez? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below!