MINNEAPOLIS — Jasson Dominguez has one rehab game under his belt, but plenty more to go.
And even when his 20-day rehab clock runs out, the Yankees outfielder may still need more time in the minors to continue his full buildup after missing all of spring training while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
As long as the Yankees’ outfield remains healthy, the 21-year-old Dominguez was likely to be optioned to the minors anyway when his rehab assignment finishes.
But Aaron Boone indicated Wednesday that Dominguez would need the equivalent of a full spring training — “I mean, like, a month’s worth of playing and building up,” he said — before the Yankees would be at a point where they would make any potential decision on him.
Dominguez played his first rehab game Tuesday with Single-A Tampa, going 1-for-3 with a walk as the DH.
Dominguez, who sat Wednesday, is scheduled to DH only for the first two weeks before mixing in outfield action, meaning he will likely only get a few games in the field before his 20-day rehab clock expires.
Dominguez told the Associated Press on Tuesday night he was throwing up to 150 feet in his progression.
“He’s in the first days of spring training games,” Boone said before the Yankees’ 4-0 win over the Twins at Target Field. “Let’s just get out of his way right now and get him right and get him playing and get him the regular reps and then we’ll see where we are hopefully in 10 days, two weeks from now when we’re now getting him into the outfield and start to really build him up.
“Then if we have a decision to make, we’ll obviously make that. But still, that’s a long ways off.”
There was a brief holdup before the Yankees challenged a call at first base in the bottom of the third inning.
Boone had turned to bench coach Brad Ausmus, who had called to the video room for a decision on whether to challenge.
But the phone was dead.
“Then he hung it up, picked it up again and it was a busy signal,” Boone said. “Maybe somebody was trying to get through, I don’t know.”
Boone appeared to run out of his allotted time to call for a challenge, but upon explaining the situation to the umps, they allowed it and the call was eventually overturned.
Tommy Kahnle’s next and biggest test will come Thursday, when he pitches a rehab game on one day’s rest for the first time.
The reliever said over the weekend that he’s always been a “Day 2 soreness guy” — meaning back-to-backs are less of an issue than pitching on one day’s rest — so this will provide a good challenge for his shoulder.
If Thursday’s appearance goes well, Kahnle will throw a fifth outing on Sunday (again with Double-A Somerset), after which he could rejoin the Yankees.
“It could be some time in that Seattle series [which goes Monday through Thursday], but we’ll see how [Thursday] goes and then how [Sunday] goes and see where we’re at if we want another one,” Boone said.
So far across three rehab outings, Kahnle has struck out six and not allowed a base runner in three innings.
DJ LeMahieu (non-displaced foot fracture) remains on track to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday or Friday with Double-A Somerset. … Gerrit Cole (elbow nerve inflammation) is expected to throw another bullpen session on Saturday, when he could progress to throwing two “ups.”
WFAN will have some different voices in its Yankees booth this weekend.
With Suzyn Waldman taking the series against the White Sox off (ahead of a 10-day West Coast trip next week), WFAN host Keith McPherson will join play-by-player Justin Shackil in the booth on Friday and Saturday.
YES Network clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits will then join Shackil in the booth for Sunday’s series finale.
