Aaron Judge hits 57th HR; Jasson Domínguez struggles in Yankees’ outfield

NEW YORK — Jasson Domínguez ranged toward the left-field line in the top of the first inning, tracking Colton Cowser’s slicing bases-loaded drive. A moment too late, the Yankees’ top prospect realized he had miscalculated, lunging in vain as the ball fell behind him for a two-run single.

That misplay, one of several that Domínguez has made this month, underscores a difficult decision with postseason games approaching. Will the Yankees opt for the run-producing potential of Domínguez’s power and speed, or the run-preventing defense they believe Alex Verdugo can provide?

It was a question worth pondering on an evening when the American League East remained unsecured, the bubbly kept on ice for a second consecutive night as the Yankees fell to the Orioles, 9-7, on Wednesday evening at Yankee Stadium.

“I have no excuse. That ball needs to be caught, 100 percent of the time,” Domínguez said. “I didn’t catch the ball, obviously, and that caused my pitcher to have to throw many more pitches and work more.”

Aaron Judge homered for a fourth straight game, slamming his Major League-leading 57th blast, a three-run shot in the ninth inning. Juan Soto also hit his career-high 41st homer, a two-run shot in the fifth, but the Yanks were unable to overcome an early outburst against fill-in starter Marcus Stroman.

“Rough,” manager Aaron Boone said. “We didn’t play well early in this game. I feel like we kind of righted the ship, steadied a little bit and competed well and had a lot of good at-bats as the game went on. … We just didn’t play real well early and couldn’t quite get back in it.”

Domínguez’s misplay came on a ball that had a 95 percent catch probability, according to Statcast, and transpired at a moment when Stroman — starting in place of the injured Nestor Cortes — desperately needed an out, having permitted singles to each of the first three batters.

“That’s a tough one, going to the line like that. It came back on him,” Judge said. “It’s a tough situation. I know he knows he should have made that play. You’ve got to learn from it, be better, and get them tomorrow.”

Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg trotted home on the misplay, and Ryan Mountcastle later added a run-scoring single as Baltimore scored three runs in that frame.

The O’s added more in the fourth off Stroman, who learned of his starting assignment on Tuesday evening and was tagged for six runs and 10 hits over 3 1/3 innings.

“It’s frustrating, but at the end of the day, I didn’t execute and do my job out there to keep my team in position to win,” Stroman said.

During the Yankees’ recent West Coast road trip, Domínguez failed to track a Justin Turner fly ball that fell behind him on Sept. 17 in Seattle, then lost a bases-loaded Turner drive in the sun the next day, clanging off his glove as a run scored.

“He’s missed some plays that he should make,” Boone said.

Wednesday marked Domínguez’s ninth Major League game of the season in left field, a position where the Yankees began playing the 21-year-old this summer at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This season, Domínguez saw 11 Minor League games in left field, compared with 28 in center field and one in right field.

“I haven’t played a ton of games in left field, but I feel I can do it,” Domínguez said.

As a big leaguer, Domínguez has already accumulated a minus-2 Fielding Run Value, according to Baseball Savant. By comparison, Verdugo is credited with +3 Fielding Run Value; that’s fifth in the Majors among players with at least 750 innings in left field this season. (Cowser is first, with +10.)

“Obviously, there are things I need to work on,” Domínguez said. “But I feel like with more work, I can get there. … I’ve been working almost every day in left field, getting my fungoes, shagging, everything. I don’t think I’m that far.”

The converse point is that Domínguez’s blend of power and speed offers more promise at the plate than Verdugo, who has hit just two homers since the All-Star break — the same number that Domínguez has produced since being promoted on Sept. 9. Domínguez went 1-for-4 in Wednesday’s loss, barreling three balls at 106.5 mph or greater.

“You try to take it all in, what gives you the best chance to win on a given night,” Boone said. “We’re trying to give a good look to Jasson here down the stretch. We know he’s capable out there. We feel like he’s been giving some good at-bats of late, so we’ll continue to pay attention to all of it.”