Jasson Dominguez caps comeback thriller with walk-off homer as Yankees survive Jacob deGrom gem

Outhit 10-5 in a matchup that pitted occasional starter Ryan Yarbrough against all-time ace Jacob deGrom, the Yankees had no business doing what they did Wednesday: 

Somehow winning the game. 

Jasson Domínguez crushed a walk-off bomb against Luke Jackson to complete a comeback, the Yankees stealing a 4-3 victory from the Rangers in front of a paid attendance of 40,359 who braved the cold, windy environs and were rewarded with a thrilling finish. 

After Luke Weaver escaped the top of the ninth to keep the game tied, Domínguez got ahead 2-0 and destroyed a homer into the second deck in right.

New York Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez (24) hits a walk-off home run on May 21, 2025.

New York Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez celebrates his walk-off homer.

He knew the second his bat connected with Jackson’s slider that the ball was not coming back, rounded the bases slowly and was mobbed at home plate. 

“It was awesome,” Domínguez said with a smile. 

Yankees’ Jasson Domínguez (24) receives an ice bath from Anthony Volpe and Aaron Judge after his walk-off home run.

“That was cold,” he later said with another smile after Aaron Judge and Anthony Volpe surprised him by dumping a cooler of ice water on him while he tried to get through an interview. 

The Yankees essentially penciled in Domínguez as their everyday left fielder this winter when several surer things were on the market.

He has rewarded their faith with a bat that continues to crush righties, against whom he has slugged five homers and owns a .929 OPS. 

At 22 years and 103 days, Domínguez became the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to hit a walk-off homer. 

Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez (24) ends the game with a walk-off home run.

“He’s just not affected by great results or a struggling day,” manager Aaron Boone said after his team took a fifth straight series even before Thursday’s finale. “He just puts a smile on his face, goes to work and likes playing the game with his teammates. He’s real easy and fun to be around. 

“But you’re really starting to see just how good a talent — you see him run, you see the speed, you see the power.” 

Domínguez secured a game that the Yankees (29-19) should not have won. 

Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) triples during the second inning.

DeGrom dazzled over seven innings, and the Yankees were forced to use six different pitchers — including ostensible fifth-starter Yarbrough and not including a sore Fernando Cruz — to piece together nine innings. 

The Yankees dug a 3-1 hole and began climbing out in the seventh. First it was Cody Bellinger — whose red-hot stretch continued — blasting his third home run in his past four games to bring the Yankees within a run in the seventh, a rare sign of life against deGrom. 

Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom (48) pitches in the first inning.

Against the Rangers bullpen, the Yankees tied it in the eighth. Robert Garcia walked Paul Goldschmidt and Trent Grisham to find his way into danger that the Rangers asked Jackson to escape. 

But Judge, whose average sits at .402, ripped a single into left, Goldschmidt rounding third and heading home to challenge a throw from Wyatt Langford that was cut off.

Goldschmidt scored the tying run before Grisham was tagged out, setting the stage for the ninth. 

“Really good, gritty win,” Boone said after his club survived three home runs from the Rangers, including two from Jake Burger. 

DeGrom was in control if not at his peak, letting up two runs in his seven frames in which he struck out nine with excellent, but not superhuman, stuff.

Many injuries and two Tommy John surgeries later, he intentionally has tried not throwing with full force. 

Yankees’ Cody Bellinger (35) hits a single.

The Yankees did little off deGrom, who allowed a second-inning triple to Volpe and proceeded to retire the next 15 batters until Bellinger’s bomb. 

But the Yankees hung around largely because of Yarbrough, who was once a surprise and now is pitching as if he expects to thrive every fifth day.

With a fastball that was slower than deGrom’s changeup, the veteran lefty sailed through five innings in which he let up one run on three hits and struck out eight. 

Yankees pitcher Ryan Yarbrough (33) gives up a home run to Texas Rangers’ Jake Burger (21) in the fifth inning.

“It’s fun to watch him pitch,” Boone said of Yarbrough, who has pitched well in relief, pitched well in the rotation and has done everything the Yankees have asked. 

Forgotten by the end was Burger victimizing Tim Hill with a homer and Sam Haggerty reversing the first pitch he saw from Ian Hamilton into the second deck in right. 

A few late swings — the final from Domínguez — provided the warmth on a cold night. 

“That was a huge win,” Judge said.