Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez avoids IL after elbow injury

Jasson Domínguez couldn’t dodge a pitch, but the Yankees’ outfielder is dodging a trip to the injured list.

Prior to Friday’s series-opener against the Orioles, Aaron Boone said that Domínguez has shown “significant improvement” since Wednesday, when Nathan Eovaldi hit The Martian in the left elbow with an 89.1-mph cutter in the fourth inning of the Yankees’ loss to the Rangers.

Domínguez initially stayed in the game to run, but he had to be replaced in the bottom of the frame due to a contusion. He then underwent X-rays at Globe Life Field, which came back inconclusive.

Fortunately for him, a CT scan, performed in New York on Thursday, came back clean.

“We got good news on that front,” Boone said. “We were kind of holding our breath a little bit yesterday with that, but it came back clean. He was much improved yesterday, much improved today, so I think we avoided something there.”

Domínguez went through baseball activities prior to Friday’s game, another encouraging sign. He even messed around in the infield, taking flips from Jazz Chisholm Jr. at second base.

Boone hoped to have Domínguez available off the bench on Friday and possibly back in the lineup on Saturday.

It’s a best-case-scenario for Domínguez, who was playing in just his third major league game of the season on Wednesday after getting promoted Monday. The 23-year-old, who enjoyed his first full big league season in 2025, did not make the Yankees’ roster out of spring training, as the team wanted the switch-hitting outfielder to get everyday reps so that he could work on his defense and right-handed swing.

But with Giancarlo Stanton suffering a calf strain and going on the IL earlier this week and Randal Grichuk designated for assignment, Domínguez now has a path to consistent big league at-bats. At least until Stanton returns.

SPEAKING OF STANTON

Boone said that Stanton hasn’t run since suffering his injury a week ago in Houston. The manager wasn’t sure when the DH may do so.