BOSTON — It was only one at-bat halfway through a long season. 

But it won the Yankees the game and spoke loudly about Jasson Domínguez’s ability to rebound from some hiccups and impact the club the rest of the way, especially as it tries to withstand a barrage of injuries. 

The 23-year-old outfielder had looked overmatched while striking out in his first two at-bats with Tigers ace Tarik Skubal on Wednesday night, and then fell behind 0-2 in the third at-bat with the game tied in the sixth inning. That is when Domínguez went to work. He fouled off three pitches while taking three balls out of the zone to work the count full, then on the ninth pitch got a change-up down the middle and crushed it into the left field seats for a two-run shot, the switch-hitter’s first home run of the year from the right side. 

“The first two at-bats, I couldn’t figure out,” Domínguez said. “[Skubal] is one of the best. His changeup, his fastball, they’re great. By the third at-bat, I had a better clue about it. 

“I think it’s just mental and trying to stay in the game. He got me the first two, but there’s still more game to play, there’s still more at-bats coming. Just keep my mind right and try to help the team, trying to battle.” 

Domínguez, who went 1-for-4 with an RBI in Thursday’s 6-3 loss to the Red Sox, has already impressed the Yankees with how he handled his demotion to Triple-A to begin the year, with no spot for him on the roster until injuries opened the door for him to come back up. 

Jasson Dominguez of the New York Yankees hits a two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers during the sixth inning at Comerica Park on June 24, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. Getty Images

But the battle with Skubal was another example of why they continue to believe there is more in there than he has shown to date as a big leaguer. 

“He’s a talented hitter,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s good to see a young player like that going up against a really tough matchup and it’s just why you got to keep at it. You’re going to get had sometimes by a good pitcher in certain at-bats. It didn’t hold him down and obviously that swing was the difference.” 

The fact that it came from the right side made it even more notable. 

Hitting righty was one of Domínguez’s biggest weaknesses last year, as he hit just .204 with a .569 OPS and one home run in 104 plate appearances, compared to .274 with a .768 OPS and nine home runs in 325 plate appearances as a left-handed hitter. 

But he has simplified his approach from the right side this year and it has made a difference so far, entering Thursday batting .321 with a .893 OPS and one home run in 29 plate appearances from that side, compared to .167 with a .579 OPS and two home runs in 45 plate appearances from the left side. 

“In the past, I used to have a big leg kick and all that,” Domínguez said. “Right now I’m just trying to be more simple and take good at-bats.” 

New York Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez celebrates his two-run home run against the Detroit Tigers. AP Photo/Paul Sancya

Boone has maintained that Dominguez hitting better right-handed came down to experience, after he has missed large chunks of time to injury in his career. But he is getting a steady dose of it now, especially at a time when Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham are all on the injured list and playing time is up for grabs. 

That said, there is clearly still room for improvement from Domínguez, particularly on defense. He started a ninth straight game in right field Thursday night, and the new position remains a work in progress, as evidenced by a fielding error there Wednesday. But the Yankees continue to believe he has the mental and physical skills to make it work. 

“Hopefully with more and more experience,” Boone said, “he continues to get better and better and becomes the player out there we think he can be.”