The New York Yankees optioned Jasson Dominguez to the minors on Thursday night, and the move quickly produced a familiar wave of speculation.
Because Dominguez can play the outfield and also serve as a designated hitter, some fans immediately wondered whether the vacated roster spot might finally belong to Giancarlo Stanton.
The timing made the idea tempting, yet the available evidence suggests it is a long shot, as laid out by Billy Heyen of Heavy.com.
Stanton has not appeared in a major-league game since April 24. He first strained his right calf that month and then, while building up to a hoped-for midseason return, suffered a moderate strain in his left calf. That second injury has proven stubborn.
The Yankees moved him to the 60-day injured list on August 24, a largely procedural step that does not prevent an earlier activation if a 40-man roster opening exists.
Still, recent reporting has offered no indication that activation is imminent, and some accounts have even raised the possibility that Stanton could miss the rest of the 2026 season.
The more plausible explanation for the Dominguez move is the impending return of Clarke Schmidt. The right-hander has yet to pitch in the majors this year while recovering from Tommy John surgery performed last summer.
On Wednesday, he made another rehab appearance for Double-A Somerset, working one inning, allowing one hit, striking out two, and throwing 10 of 12 pitches for strikes.
Club plans call for him to join the bullpen for the remainder of 2026 rather than resume his former role as a starter; he is expected to compete for a rotation spot again in 2027.
Schmidt’s track record when healthy is strong. He posted a 2.85 ERA in 16 starts during the 2024 season and followed that with a 3.32 ERA across 14 starts in 2025.
Those numbers, together with the Yankees’ immediate pitching needs and the short time left on the schedule, make his activation far more realistic than Stanton’s.
A surprise Stanton return cannot be dismissed entirely, but nothing in the latest reports points in that direction. The Yankees appear more interested in adding a pitcher who can contribute right away than in waiting on a veteran still navigating a pair of calf injuries.
For now, Schmidt looks like the player most likely to occupy the roster space created by Dominguez’s demotion.
