The Yankees finished their nine-game West Coast road trip with a solid 7-3 win over the Dodgers on Sunday night. However, the victory came at a cost. Two key players, outfielder Jasson Domínguez and closer Luke Weaver suffered injuries that will need further evaluation once the team returns to New York.
Domínguez left the game with a thumb injury after stealing second base, and Weaver never made it onto the mound in the ninth inning due to a sudden hamstring issue. While the team avoided being swept in the series, these two injuries became the main story by the end of the night.
- Jasson Domínguez jammed his left thumb while stealing second base in the fifth inning and left the game with a diagnosed thumb contusion; he will have medical tests on Monday in New York.
- Weaver began feeling discomfort in his right hamstring after pitching in Saturday’s 18–2 loss to the Dodgers. He was unable to warm up on Sunday for a planned ninth-inning appearance.
- The Yankees beat the Dodgers 7–3 to end their nine-game West Coast trip, with DJ LeMahieu going 4-for-5 and Tim Hill closing the game in Weaver’s place.
Domínguez Jammed His Left Thumb During a Headfirst Slide
Jasson Domínguez, who started in left field, injured his left thumb during a stolen base attempt in the top of the fifth inning. Facing pitcher Anthony Banda with no outs and Anthony Volpe at the plate, Domínguez reached base on a walk. He then attempted to steal second base and slid in headfirst. While the steal was successful, he jammed his thumb on the base during the slide.
Domínguez remained in the game immediately after the injury and scored later in the inning on a one-out RBI single by DJ LeMahieu. However, when his turn in the batting order came around again in the sixth inning, he was replaced by pinch-hitter Cody Bellinger.
After the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters, “He couldn’t really swing. It was serious enough for him to come out of the game.”
The team diagnosed the injury as a left thumb contusion, and Domínguez is expected to undergo further testing in New York on Monday, during the team’s off-day.
Speaking to the media after the game, Domínguez said,“I don’t think there’s much concern about it. We’re going to see [Monday] how it feels. Right now, I think there is nothing to worry about. Right now, I’m feeling better already.”
At the time he left the game, Domínguez had gone 1-for-2 with a walk and an RBI. The RBI came earlier in the game and contributed to the Yankees’ overall offense. On the season, Domínguez is batting .247 with a .766 OPS through 49 games.
An image circulated on social media after the game showed Domínguez sliding into second base with his left hand extended, without any protective gear. Domínguez confirmed he was wearing a protective mitt on his right hand, not his injured left, and said he may consider wearing one on both hands in the future.
Weaver Pulled from Ninth Inning Appearance Due to Hamstring Tightness
Yankees manager Aaron Boone had planned to use Luke Weaver to close out the game in the ninth inning, with New York holding a four-run lead. However, shortly after completing his warm-up routine in the bullpen, Weaver felt something in the middle of his right hamstring during a stretch and informed the coaching staff.
Boone said, “He had finished warming up and then when he went to stretch felt something in the middle of his hammy, so we had to kind of make a switch on the fly.”
Consequently, Tim Hill, who had warmed up earlier, was called in to pitch the ninth. Hill retired the side in order and recorded the final three outs of the game.
Boone stated that he was originally planning to bring Weaver in for a four-out save and that the discomfort was enough to remove him from consideration. “It was enough to take him out,” Boone said.“We’ll see what we have when we get home.”
Weaver has been a key contributor to the Yankees’ bullpen. He has posted a 1.05 ERA and 0.701 WHIP over 25 2/3 innings, with 8 saves in 9 chances. He began the year in a setup role behind Devin Williams but has been closing games since regaining the role in September of last season, including during the postseason.
Weaver underwent an MRI and is expected to miss four to six weeks with a hamstring strain.
Yankees Close Out Road Trip with a Strong Performance
Despite the injuries, the Yankees secured a much-needed win to close out their road trip. Ryan Yarbrough provided a steady performance on the mound, and DJ LeMahieu recorded his first four-hit game since 2021, going 4-for-5 with an RBI.
With the win, the Yankees avoided being swept in a series for the first time this season.
The team now returns to New York for a day off before opening their next series. They are also expecting to activate Jazz Chisholm Jr. from the injured list on Tuesday after he missed approximately one month with a strained oblique.
While the result in Los Angeles was a positive one, the statuses of Jasson Domínguez and Luke Weaver will be closely monitored in the coming days. Both players are scheduled for evaluation on Monday in New York.
