Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez likely to return soon from thumb injury

Jasson Domínguez was on the Yankees’ bench yet again Wednesday against the Guardians, but that won’t be the case for much longer.

Though Aaron Boone elected to keep Domínguez out of the lineup in Wednesday’s game, Domínguez said beforehand that the thumb was feeling better and he was hoping to do some hitting work in the batting cages in the hours leading up to game time.

Boone echoed the same sentiments, saying how Domínguez told him he was feeling much better.

Domínguez then gripped a bat Wednesday for the first time since he sustained the injury — and from there, he got to swinging.

Boone later said postgame that the hitting went well and that Domínguez “should be good to go.”

It was the second straight game that Domínguez wasn’t in New York’s lineup after he left Sunday’s matchup against the Dodgers with a left thumb contusion after jamming his thumb while sliding into second base on a steal attempt.

Boone said after Tuesday’s win over the Guardians that he wasn’t expecting an injured list stint for Domínguez, and the Yankees manager’s comments Wednesday night put Domínguez almost completely in the clear.

Boone was missing Domínguez’s versatility in the first game against Cleveland.

“I would’ve used him [Tuesday] night, pinch-running-wise,” Boone said.

And he was missed Wednesday again, as the Yankees fell, 4-0.

Boone said before the game that if Domínguez’s hitting went well that he would be available off the bench, though the situation seemingly did not call for his duties.

Though there’s the situational aspect of it, the Yankees lineup also offers plenty of flexibility already. One of Domínguez, Trent Grisham, Ben Rice and Bellinger typically takes a day off — since the Yankees don’t have enough spots to deploy them all at once.

With Domínguez out with the thumb injury, Boone has slotted Grisham in center field and Bellinger in left while Rice plays DH — all areas that they are comfortable with. Boone has cycled the group around the lineup all season.

It remains unclear if Domínguez being “good to go” means the Yankees will deploy him in Thursday rubber match — as Boone’s lineup flexibility may lower the urgency.