Yankees recall top prospect Jasson Domínguez, place DJ LeMahieu on IL

The New York Yankees placed DJ LeMahieu on the 10-day injured list Monday because of a lingering hip issue and recalled top prosect Jasson Domínguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

LeMahieu was placed on the IL because of right hip impingement and manager Aaron Boone said the Yankees’ struggling infielder may not return this season.

“It’s been something that’s been kind of lingering on him the last couple of weeks. He’s been getting treatment on it,” Boone said. “It’s kind of better some days, worse the others.”

The 36-year-old LeMahieu, a two-time batting champion is hitting .204 with two homers and 26 RBIs in 67 games. He missed New York’s first 55 games because of a fracture in his right foot that healed slowly.

LeMahieu batted .243 with 15 homers and 44 RBIs in 136 games last season and is hitting .231 since winning his second batting title during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Boone said Domínguez is a welcome addition to the lineup and will play center field and bat sixth Monday as New York opens a three-game series against Kansas City at Yankee Stadium with a half-game lead on the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.

“I think you know my thoughts on him,” Boone said. “I’ve been a huge fan ever since I met him. Just love his makeup, his talent and he’s earned this opportunity.”

Domínguez was not initially called up when rosters expanded to 28 players on Sept. 1. Domínguez will also see time in left field, where he has played once with the Yankees and in 58 games in his minor league career.

Domínguez joins the Yankees three days after GM Brian Cashman said the team was sticking with Alex Verdugo in left. Verdugo is hitting .235 with 11 homers and 56 RBIs in 137 games this season and .302 (13 for 43) in his last 12 games.

Domínguez made his season debut and went 0 for 4 as New York’s 27th man against the Detroit Tigers in the Little League Classic last month. The 21-year-old batted .314 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 58 games across three minor league levels.

Signed for a $5.1 million bonus as a 16-year-old in 2019, Domínguez batted .258 with four homers and seven RBIs in eight games with the Yankees from Sept. 1-9, 2023, before tearing a ligament in his throwing elbow. He underwent surgery last September and then injured his oblique on a checked swing on June 15.

Since returning from the oblique injury July 26, Domínguez batted .309 with seven homers and 25 RBIs in 44 games for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

“Like I said on Sept. 1 when we didn’t initially recall Jasson, he’s in the conversation every single day,” Boone said. “I think as much as anything, it’s just continuing to build the momentum he’s built here over the last few weeks, where we feel like, especially the last couple of weeks, really starting to be in the peak of the season and play at a high level. So he’s been knocking on that door since he came back and now seemed like the time to bring him.”

In other moves by the Yankees, Jon Berti was activated from the injured list after the utilityman missed 90 games with a left calf strain. Acquired in a spring training trade with the Miami Marlins, Berti hit .273 with one homer and six RBIs in 17 games before collapsing in pain a few steps out of the batter’s box in San Diego on May 24.

The Yankees also designated reliever Anthony Misiewicz for assignment. The lefty appeared in one game for New York this season and was 3-2 with a 3.33 ERA in 44 appearances for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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