The Yankees select the starting left tackle for Game 1 of ALDS

NEW YORK – Alex Verdugo will start in left field for the Yankees in Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Royals on Saturday night.

SNY reported late Friday night that the Yankees had selected Verdugo over top prospect Jasson Domínguez for the ALDS opener.

It's a decision that prioritizes defense and experience over offensive advantages.

Verdugo has had a disappointing season, to say the least. He hit .233 with an OPS of .647 and a WAR of 0.6 FanGraphs, all season lows. But Verdugo is a reliable defender on the left side. Many consider him to be an elite corner outfielder, one of the reasons the Yankees traded him last winter. This has been his greatest strength in pinstripes all season.

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It's also worth noting that Verdugo has won 3 of 11 in his career against Royals' Game 1 starter Michael Wacha, and while Domínguez will make his playoff debut, Verdugo has solid postseason numbers. It's a small sample of just 11 games (all in 2021 with the Red Sox), but Verdugo hit .310 (13 of 42) with an OPS of .835 in October.

After his overdue promotion in September, Domínguez showed his potential but never found the right rhythm. He comes into the playoffs after batting .179 with three extra-base hits in 18 games and 67 plate appearances in September.

However, defense could well be the deciding factor here. Dominguez struggled in left field. He's a natural midfielder and had a few memorable defensive misplays on the left side, including a couple of drops on catchable flying balls.

Verdugo will start Game 1, but don't be surprised if the Yankees move forward in the postseason with some sort of platoon between these two outfielders. Domínguez isn't as productive on the right side of the plate, but as a switch-hitter he could compete against lefties with traditional splits.

Trent Grisham, another reliable defender in the outfield, will also be available. Both he and speedster Duke Ellis were on the Yankees' 26-man roster for the ALDS. The Yankees opted to only have 11 pitchers, which gave them a few extra bench spots for this round.

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Max Goodman can be reached at [email protected].