Marnerās first playoff hat trick propels Golden Knights to 6-2 rout of Ducks and 2-1 series lead
Mitch Marner's first playoff hat trick helps Golden Knights rout Ducks 6-2, taking a 2-1 series lead.
Spencer Jones, previously facing a blocked path to the Yankees, is now making a case to stay with the team. His determination and loyalty have sparked renewed interest in his potential.
NEW YORK ā When I last spoke to Spencer Jones during spring training, his path to the major leagues was as jammed as one of those wintry, multi-car crashes on the interstate. In other words, it was hopeless.
The buzz on social media centered mostly on trading Jones. He otherwise had no shot with the Yankees and was headed back to the minors for the fifth straight year. I asked Jones how it felt to be boxed out yet again.
āThis will take care of itself,ā he said with a patient smile. āAs long as I do my best to keep improving. This is the best organization to play for.ā
Jones mustāve repeated that answer a hundred times during camp, yet it never sounded rehearsed. His loyalty to the Yankees and faith in himself were both remarkable. I kept thinking he deserved a chance.
Funny how the fates have aligned. Giancarlo Stanton is hurt, and now so is Jasson Dominguez. The opening that Jones has waited for since 2021 is finally here. Starting tonight in Milwaukee, the curtain goes up on one of the Yankeesā most intriguing prospects.
Consider:
Jones has been as hyped as Anthony Volpe was in 2023 ā only with more tools.
Jones has been neck and neck with Dominguez in racing up the organizational depth chart , except that he plays better defense.
Jones fits the same early-stage profile as you-know-who. No one should say heās the next Aaron Judge, but with similar size, power, glove skills and speed, the similarities are striking.
Spencer Jones faced a crowded roster and was expected to return to the minors for the fifth consecutive year.
Jones expressed patience and confidence, stating that his performance would ultimately determine his future with the team.
Jones's recent performance has raised questions about whether he can secure a permanent spot on the Yankees roster.
Jones emphasized his loyalty to the Yankees, calling it the best organization to play for and expressing faith in his ability to improve.
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Donāt think teammates werenāt paying attention in spring training. And you better believe the Yankees noticed Jonesā recent hot streak at Triple-A featured six home runs in the last eight games.
āThatās a large man who can hit the ball very far,ā Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger said. āBut, no, honestly, a freak athlete too. I didnāt know ⦠the speed. Very athletic, moves well. Just a good baseball player.ā
The hype around Jones is building. But there are two asterisks that canāt be ignored.
The first is his strikeout rate, which has been high throughout his minor-league career. Jones has whiffed in 37% of his at-bats since 2021. Despite his 11 home runs and .958 OPS this year, Jones is still striking out frequently: 46 strikeouts in 120 at-bats (38%).
Thatās enough to concern some scouts who believe Jones will find it tougher to make contact in the majors. The question is whether the Yankees consider Jonesā strikeouts an acceptable trade-off for the power he might bring. Thatās the same concern the Yankees had about Judge early in his career, too.
The second asterisk addresses that very point. Jones will be 25 next week, which means heās no longer a young prospect. He wouldāve been in his second or third major-league season with most other franchises. Yet, the Yankees have kept him waiting.
Were the Yankees not sufficiently sold on Jones to justify extending Trent Grisham a $22-million qualifying offer? He was ostensibly lured back to the Bronx as an insurance policy in case Bellinger signed elsewhere as a free agent. But the Yankees couldāve just as easily let both Grisham and Bellinger walk and handed the keys to Jones and Dominguez.
Many on social media were clamoring for just that ā turning the Yankees into a younger, more athletic version of their 2025 selves. But putting two kids in the outfield with Judge wouldāve represented a quasi-rebuild. The teamās hierarchy chose not to gamble with another season in the Captainās prime. That goes for Gerrit Coleās peak years, too.
The Yankees are instead in total go-for-it mode. To general manager Brian Cashmanās credit, running it back has so far been hugely successful. With a 26-12 record, the Yankees are by far the American Leagueās best team. Theyāre about to get even better with Carlos Rodon joining the rotation this weekend in Milwaukee.
Although itās still early, I wonder if opposing managers are slowly resigning themselves to the probability of the Yankees winning 100-plus games with no competition. Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog came to that conclusion about the Mets in June 1986.
āNo oneās catching them this year,ā Herzog said, long before the advent of the wild card. The industry has since been revolutionized. Mediocre clubs still have a shot in October. But the summer months could turn into nothing but calisthenics for the Yankees.
Coleās return will be a primary storyline. But so will the start of Jonesā major league career. He has a chance to become New Yorkās next shiny toy, like Volpe once was.
Dominguez, on the other hand, was in the middle of crashing into Yankee Stadiumās left field wall on Thursday.
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After crashing into Yankee Stadiumās left-field wall, Dominguez was monitored for a concussion and diagnosed with a low-grade AC strain in his left shoulder. Dominguez wonāt be back before June. Jones might feel sorry for Dominguez, but baseball is a cold business. Jones has finally escaped the box-out.
Heās now staring at that wide-open space called the rest of his career.
It just might be a beautiful thing.
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