Yankees Replace Juan Soto, Jasson Domínguez Struggles Early in 2025 Season

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The New York Yankees are off to a strong start in the 2025 season, winning all three of their games while leading Major League Baseball in home runs, but they face challenges as they adjust to life without Juan Soto.

After signing former MVPs Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger to bolster the lineup, the Yankees hoped to replace Soto’s offensive prowess. However, 22-year-old Jasson Domínguez, who was positioned to fill Soto’s void in left field, has struggled early in the campaign.

Max Goodman of NJ.com reported that Domínguez was pulled in late innings in favor of Trent Grisham during both games in which he started. “For them to summon Grisham in a three-run game to play defense in the eighth on Thursday, taking Domínguez’s bat out of the game when he was due up second in the following half-inning, is telling,” Goodman noted.

Domínguez entered the season as one of baseball’s most promising offensive prospects, having hit four home runs in just eight games following his 2023 debut. However, a series of injuries and defensive lapses kept him off the big-league roster for much of 2024. As analysts observe, those defensive issues may continue to hinder him as the Yankees pursue their championship ambitions in 2025.

“While the phenom made progress over the course of spring training, this could be an indication that the Yankees aren’t completely comfortable with Domínguez out there,” Goodman added. “But this is something to keep an eye on.”

Despite Domínguez’s offensive potential, the Yankees cannot afford defensive mishaps as they aim for a strong postseason push. “If Domínguez cannot improve his defensive skills, the Yankees may look for alternatives,” analysts warn. “This reflects their urgency to compete at a high level.”

The Yankees’ offensive surge has drawn attention, with the team using specially-designed “torpedo bats,” which allow for optimized contact points. “The torpedo bat is the brainchild of Aaron Leanhardt, a pioneering New York Yankees staffer turned Miami Marlins coach,” RJ Anderson of CBS Sports reported. “His vision was to optimize offensive output in a way that normal bats did not.”

During the team’s opening series, the bats contributed significantly to the Yankees hitting 15 home runs in three games. “I think they’ll be banned,” an anonymous front-office source predicted. “MLB will likely establish a rule to prevent them from getting out of hand.”

For now, the bats comply with league specifications and have been employed in prior seasons by various teams, but the Yankees could be at the forefront of a potential rule change that may redefine the equipment landscape in baseball.