NEW YORK — The Yankees got one piece of good injury news Friday and sat on a complicated roster decision at the same time.
Jasson Dominguez’s CT scan came back clean. That was the relief. Anthony Volpe is healthy and ready but will not be activated this weekend. That was the deliberate call. Carlos Rodon could be one start away from rejoining the rotation. That is the development the Yankees are watching most carefully.
All three stories moved forward before the Yankees’ 7-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Manager Aaron Boone addressed each one.
Dominguez avoids the IL
Dominguez was hit by a cutter from Nathan Eovaldi on Wednesday in Arlington. The ball struck the inside of his left elbow at 89 mph. X-rays at Globe Life Field were inconclusive. The Yankees scheduled a CT scan in New York for Thursday.
The results were the best possible outcome. The scan came back clean. No fracture. No structural damage.
Boone had been holding his breath since Wednesday. He exhaled publicly before Friday’s game.
“We got good news on that front,” Boone said. “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.”
Dominguez went through Yankees baseball activities on the field before Friday’s game. He took flips from Jazz Chisholm at second base. Boone hoped to have him available off the bench Friday and back in the Yankees starting lineup Saturday.
The 23-year-old had played in three games since his promotion Monday. He went 1-for-9 in the Texas series before the injury forced him out. His elbow is intact. His opportunity to build at-bats as the Yankees’ designated hitter while Giancarlo Stanton remains on the IL is still very much alive.
Rodon one start from return
Carlos Rodon has been building back from an October elbow cleanup procedure. His Double-A rehab start at Somerset last week produced eight strikeouts across 5 and a third innings. Friday brought clarity on what comes next.
Boone said it is possible that Rodon makes just one more rehab start and is then activated. The manager described the left-hander as being close to ready. The next outing is tentatively set for Tuesday.
“He’s about ready,” Boone said of Rodon.
Gerrit Cole is also scheduled for his next rehab start Tuesday, that one with High-A Hudson Valley. Cole is further from his return than Rodon, having had Tommy John surgery, but his pitch counts have been climbing steadily. His return is targeted for late May to early June.
When Rodon returns, the Yankees will have six qualified starters for five Yankees spots. That math forces a decision. Will Warren, Ryan Weathers and Elmer Rodriguez are all competing for Yankees rotation innings.
Volpe stays put, Caballero’s case grows
Anthony Volpe cleared the Yankees medical bar for activation days ago. His left shoulder, repaired in October labrum surgery, held up through 11 minor league games. He is batting .278 with one home run and four RBI in 36 at-bats at Double-A Somerset.
But the Yankees did not activate him Friday. They kept him at Somerset through the weekend, maxing out his 20-day rehab clock through Sunday.
The reason is standing at shortstop every night at Yankee Stadium.
Jose Caballero started his 32nd game at shortstop out of the Yankees’ 33 contests this season Friday. He hit a go-ahead homer off Cade Povich in the second inning, a shot that left his bat at 108.5 mph, and also made a sliding stop 20 feet past second base to throw out Adley Rutschman. He is batting .333 in his last 19 games with 11 RBI.
Boone acknowledged that Caballero’s form is a direct reason for the delay. He did not hide it.
“It complicates it a little bit, clearly,” Boone said. “Jose’s earned opportunities and been a key part of our club here and a part of success here to start out the season.”
He also addressed what happens after Sunday, the deadline to either activate Volpe or option him to the minors.
“We’ll kind of reevaluate where we are after Sunday,” Boone said. “I don’t think it hurts to have some more runway for him. Caby’s obviously playing very well for us. So I just want it to be a situation where we’re giving Anthony every chance to come in and be successful, but also taking note of what’s going on with our club, as well.”
Caballero, asked whether he felt he had earned everyday status, deflected the question back to the organization.
“I’m not the guy to make that decision,” Caballero said. “My goal is to help my team and help my team as much as I can to win and do my best every day.”
One wrinkle: if the Yankees option Volpe for at least 20 days, it would delay his free-agent eligibility by one year, pushing it to after the 2029 World Series. That adds weight to the Yankees decision.
Stanton has not run since straining his right calf on April 23 in Houston. Boone said the hope is that Stanton starts hitting this weekend. The Yankees have not announced a return timetable.
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