In the middle of another race to the postseason, the New York Yankees could use all the help they can possibly get at the moment. They currently lead the AL East by a game and a half over the Baltimore Orioles. They are set to finish a three-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. Veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo is finally back from the IL. So, why did the Yankees decide to not call up stud outfield prospect Jasson Dominguez during a slew of roster moves announced Sunday morning?

“Prior to today's game, the Yankees made the following roster moves: Returned INF Anthony Rizzo (#48) from his rehab assignment and reinstated him from the 60-day injured list,” reported the Yankees PR department on X, formerly Twitter. “Recalled RHP Ron Marinaccio (#97), RHP Scott Effross (#59) and OF Duke Ellis (#70) from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Designated LHP Josh Maciejewski for assignment.”

GM Brian Cashman opted to instead bring up recent waiver claim Duke Ellis, as the outfielder has shown the ability to steal bases and provide solid baserunning during his stints with multiple teams. During his short tenure with the Chicago White Sox earlier this season, he stole four bases in four tries. The ability to take extra bases is tremendously valuable at any point in the season, but especially in the postseason. Yet, the move to not promote Dominguez upset many fans, and has been questioned by many analysts as well.

Jasson Dominguez should be long-term piece of Yankees outfield

New York Yankees center fielder Jasson Dominguez (89) at Yankee Stadium.
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Dominguez has been the Yankees' top prospect for a long time now, and he showed during a short stint last season that he does belong at the major league level. Tommy John surgery cut his first go-around on the major league roster, and he's also had to deal with an oblique strain this season. Both of those injuries have limited him to just one game with the Yankees this season. But he's fully healthy now, so wouldn't it behoove Cashman and manager Aaron Boone to give the man dubbed “The Martian” a chance in the Bronx?

The above X post is just one of many from analysts and Yankees fans that question why Dominguez wasn't recalled Sunday. From an on-field perspective, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Current left fielder Alex Verdugo has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season, and Giancarlo Stanton should stay at DH. With Aaron Judge in center field and Juan Soto in right, slotting Dominguez in left would probably be the best outfield alignment that New York could field.

Hopefully, not promoting Dominguez is just a short-term decision made by Cashman, Boone and the Yankees brass. Maybe he'll be called up tomorrow. The longer that they wait to bring the Martian up to the majors, the more they hurt their postseason chances. For a team chasing a record 28th World Series title, putting the best team on the field is paramount. Right now, that team should include Dominguez in the starting lineup.