Pitching may not be the biggest priority for the New York Yankees this offseason, but the back end of the bullpen needs all the help possible. The Yankees should be browsing the market for a short reliever or setup man, and right-handed veteran Seranthony Domínguez could fit that role.
The closer role is a beast on its own to shop for, and that is the biggest priority. However, second to that is a trusted arm that can set the tone for the closer to be summoned in a save situation.
It will be tough for the club to identify a late-game stopper. However, the options that don’t quite fit the role could be the preliminary option. For a while, Luke Weaver supplemented in the set-up role when he wasn’t closing games.
Tim Hill also found himself often in that scenario, as well as Devin Williams, once he was pulled from the closer role. The Yankees still employ Hill, who’s more of a middle reliever, and not a setup man. Williams is now a free agent.
So, why Domínguez? The right-handed reliever has some attributes that aren’t closer worthy, but can get you where you need to be.
Seranthony Domínguez Would Be a Good Setup Man Target for the Yankees
The 31-year-old right-handed pitcher is not a huge name in the world of pitchers, but definitely a valuable one in terms of what he offers. He would make a good target for the Yankees, beginning with the fact that he spent the last two seasons in the American League East.
Dominguez has jumped around in the trade market a bit, servicing three different clubs since 2024. This by no means is a bad thing. He was moved to teams that thought they needed the help toward possible postseason contention.
He spent four and a half seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he began his career. From there, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, and in mid-2025, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Dominguez is coming off a decent season, where he came in mid-way to assist in Toronto’s bullpen. He eventually saw a postseason and World Series run. The right-hander played a crucial role in relief duties, especially in staggered set-up roles.
Between the Blue Jays and Orioles in 2025, Dominguez finished with a 3.16 ERA in 62 2/3 innings, striking out 79 hitters, walking 36.
His total ERA for 2024-2025 combined is 3.78 with 121 1/3 innings of work, allowing only 52 earned runs. These two seasons reflect competing in the American League East, which is pertinent regarding potentially pitching in the Bronx.
Seranthony Domínguez was traded between games of the Blue Jays-Orioles doubleheader
He walked past his old teammates to get to the Blue Jays bullpen
pic.twitter.com/PVMgOIbBoL
— MLB (@MLB) July 29, 2025
What’s His Pitchability Like?
Dominguez’s caliber of pitchability is competitive, despite some minor flaws. The most significant flaw is his command, as he needs to reduce the walks and hit his locations more.
In 2025, he led the league with wild pitches, with 12. He also recorded his highest walk percentage this year at 13.8%, his lowest being 8.2% in 2024.
In a better light, his strikeout percentage is 30.3% for 2025, the second-highest since his third big league season in 2021.
Dominguez has a five-pitch repertoire, throwing a four-seam fastball, splitter, sinker, curveball, and sweeper. Four of his pitches are thrown more than 10% of the time, and they each hold a put-away value of 20% plus.
His fastball works up to 98 mph and has a healthy bite. Dominguez also has an AIR percentage of 56.9%. Overall, his characteristics and output make him a strong candidate to be on the back end of relief for the Yankees in the setup role.
Main Photo Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
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