Jasson Dominguez or Alex Verdugo? Yankees' LF situation still unresolved as ALDS nears

Though there have been internal organizational discussions on the matter for weeks now, the Yankees' leftfield situation remains up in the air in advance of the American League Division Series, which starts Saturday night at the Stadium.

The choice, of course, is between Alex Verdugo and Jasson Dominguez, and it involves one of sports' oldest considerations in such matters: offense vs. defense.

Verdugo, though he mostly struggled at the plate in the regular season, overall played well defensively — and, at times was superb — as the club’s everyday leftfielder.

The 21-year-old Dominguez, who received far from rave reviews from rival scouts for his work in the field in the minors after coming off the injured list midsummer, saw that trend continue after his Sept. 9 call-up to the majors, misplaying several balls in left.

But the switch hitter, also a threat on the bases in a way Verdugo is not, possesses the more dynamic bat.

“This time of year, I’m going defense,” one rival AL talent evaluator said. “One misplay can cost you in the regular season. In the playoffs, it’s [defense] magnified even more. I’m going with the guy I’m the most comfortable will catch the ball.”

Manager Aaron Boone, speaking Tuesday before his team worked out at the Stadium, did not tip the organization’s hand in its collective thinking.

“We’ll let the week unfold,” Boone said. “I have thoughts in my mind, but we’ll let that unfold.”

Boone may have his thoughts, and they will carry some weight, but his will be but one voice of many chiming in. Like most major decisions with the Yankees as it relates to the on-field product, it will be a collaborative effort. And there are those behind the scenes making strong arguments for both players.

“He obviously had some hiccups in the outfield and didn’t light up the stat line from an offensive standpoint,” Boone said of Dominguez, who slashed just .179/.313/.304 with two homers, a double, four RBIs and five stolen bases in 18 games. “But I felt like he was having quality at-bats still. I certainly know what he’s capable of on both sides of the ball and the speed component he brings to the table.”

Verdugo, meanwhile, started the season strong but tailed off and never really got things going offensively, finishing with a slash line of .233/.291/.356, with 13 homers, 28 doubles, 61 RBIs and two stolen bases in 149 games.

Before anyone reads too much into Boone’s more-positive-than-not comments about Dominguez, the manager less than two weeks ago talked about the “big factor” defense is come October.

“Especially in the postseason, outs need to be outs,” Boone said.

But read too much into that at your own peril as well.

“I feel like he’s ready to go,” Boone said of Dominguez. “And whatever way we go, he’s going to play a big part.”

No surprise: Rodon starts Game 2

The Yankees made official Wednesday what had long been suspected: Carlos Rodon, who went 16-9 with a 3.96 ERA  and was particularly good in the season’s second half (7-2, 2.91), will start Game 2 of the Division Series. Still up in the air, however, is the Game 3 starter, the candidates being AL Rookie of the Year candidate Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt. Pitching coach Matt Blake said late Wednesday morning on a Zoom call that both pitchers could be available for length out of the bullpen in both Games 1 and 2 and, should either one be needed, the other would likely get the start in Game 3. Blake also said, though it won’t be the sole consideration, is if neither pitcher is needed in Games 1 or 2, Schmidt having some big-league experience pitching out of the bullpen and Gil having none. “Definitely a concern. Some unknown in that,” Blake said of Gil’s lack of bullpen experience. “[It’s] part of the conversation.”

Stroman on the bubble

Blake did not guarantee Marcus Stroman, shifted to the bullpen late in the season, will be a part of the ALDS roster. “Depends how many pitchers we decide to take but [he’s] right in the thick of it,” Blake said.