Jasson Domínguez’s career day, Max Fried’s most current gem lead Yankees
Jasson Domínguez’s early-season splits were severe.
Entering an essential at-bat in Tuesday night’s 6th inning, the switch-hitting Domínguez was just 1-for-20 versus left-handed pitchers, compared to 12-for-30 against righties.
However the greatest blow in the Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Jackie Robinson Day came thanks to Domínguez– striking from the best side.
Domínguez’s consent three-run double against left-handed Royals reliever Angel Zerpa capped a four-run rally for the Yankees (10-7), giving Max Fried the assistance he required to get his first win in the Bronx.
“It feels actually great,” Domínguez said.
The Yankees were closed down for the first five innings by Royals right-hander Michael Wacha and routed, 2-0, entering into the bottom of the sixth.
Aaron Judge led off that inning with an infield single, however Wacha started out the next 2 batters. Wacha suddenly deciphered from there, releasing back-to-back five-pitch strolls to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe to load the bases.
That spelled completion of Wacha’s day, as Zerpa entered to face lefty-swinging Austin Wells with Domínguez on deck.
Zerpa walked Wells on four pitches, pressing throughout the Yankees’ first run. Domínguez then ripped a 1-2 fastball down the left-field line, clearing the bases to provide the Yankees a 4-2 lead.
“I have actually been having a bit of a struggle from the best side, but recently I feel I have actually been doing something different,” Domínguez said, discussing he has been “simply getting more representatives and being more on time.”
Domínguez exited in the top of the seventh, with Trent Grisham taking control of in center field and Cody Bellinger sliding over to left. The move was not a basic defensive replacement, however rather the outcome of Domínguez losing his contacts when the backswing on his game-winning hit struck his helmet.
The 22-year-old Domínguez also singled two times versus Wacha as a left-handed batter and completed 3-for-3. It was the 2nd three-hit game of his career, while his three RBI set a new individual finest.
“He never ever seems panicked or rushed, and that’s one of the things you constantly like about him,” supervisor Aaron Boone stated. “You understand the situation is not too huge for him.”
Judge’s rally-starting single, on the other hand, marked his second hit in 3 at-bats against Wacha, whom he entered simply 1-for-21 against in his career, consisting of the playoffs.
The Yankees continue to get strong returns from Fried, who enhanced to 3-0 through 4 starts after signing an eight-year, $218 million agreement in the offseason.
Fried limited the Royals (8-10) to two runs over 6.2 innings with 7 strikeouts.
The left-hander started the game with back-to-back 1-2-3 innings, however MJ Melendez broke the scoreless tie with a home run to lead off the 3rd. The Royals tacked on another run in that inning when Maikel Garcia reached on a two-out infield single and Bobby Witt Jr. followed with an RBI double.
However Fried, with a fastball that ranged from 91-97 mph and an effective curveball, kept Kansas City off the board from there. He generated 12 swings and misses and now sports an outstanding 1.88 PERIOD.
“The joke in high school was I was 85 to 95 [mph],” Fried stated. “Having the ability to differ speeds and being able to have different velocities, that’s simply understanding that striking is timing. It’s rhythm and timing, and if you can try to disrupt that and throw a number of different speeds on a fastball, hopefully I can get some weak contact.”
The Yankees remain undefeated in games started by Fried, who has picked up the win in each of the last three. His first 2 wins as a Yankee came on the road.
“I’ll turn to [bench coach] Brad [Ausmus] and be like, ‘Man, I would not like to hit off this guy,'” Boone said of Fried. “The fastball’s cutting. He can contribute to it. He can rip a 95, 97 [mph] sometimes. The sinker’s actually good. I thought, overall, he was truly good.”
Luke Weaver tossed 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, while Devin Williams pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to get his third save as a Yankee and his 2nd in as numerous nights.
The 4-2 final score was perhaps poetic, considering every player in Tuesday’s game used # 42 in event of Jackie Robinson Day.
Tuesday marked the 78th anniversary of Robinson, who used # 42, debuting for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and ending up being the first Black player of MLB’s modern-day age.
This week’s three-game series is a rematch of in 2015’s ALDS, which the Yankees won in 4 games.
The Yankees won Monday’s series opener, 4-1, and will go for the sweep Wednesday night. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt is set to make his season debut in his return from right rotator cuff tendonitis, while left-hander Kris Bubic (2-1, 0.96 AGE) is scheduled to start for Kansas City.
Originally Released: April 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM EDT