The New York Yankees are opting to go with veteran experience over rookie upside to begin the American League Division Series.
According to Andy Martino of SNY, the Yankees will start Alex Verdugo in left field over Jasson Dominguez for Game 1 of the ALDS against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Clearly, the Yankees value Verdugo's defense over the upside Dominguez brings at the plate, especially considering the latter's struggles in left field since being called up in the middle of September.
This move is likely to draw the ire of the fanbase, who probably want to see Dominguez in the lineup.
Verdugo struggled at the plate for the majority of the season with a career-low 83 OPS+ even though he did tie a career-high with 13 home runs.
Going with Verdugo in left field to begin the series also shows the Yankees want his experience in the lineup. He played 11 postseason games with the Boston Red Sox in 2021, logging an .835 OPS and .310 batting average.
If the Yankees get that player from Verdugo during the postseason, this will look like the right decision. Unfortunately, Verdugo has looked far from that player this season.
While Dominguez offers some incredible upside, he struggled in a platoon role during the month of September. He hit .192 with two home runs, four RBI and 16 strikeouts in 63 plate appearances.
There's a chance he gets the start later in the series but for now, the Yankees are taking the cautious approach with Verdugo in left field.
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