On Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, the New York Yankees will look to bounce back against their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox, following a 5-3 loss on Friday night. With Saturday’s contest washed out by rain, the focus shifts squarely to the Bronx for the series finale — and a notable development in the lineup has already sparked significant discussion.
The Yankees have officially announced their starting lineup for the matchup, and one name is conspicuously absent: Spencer Jones.
Via Underdog MLB, the Yankees will roll out the following lineup against the Red Sox:
- P. Goldschmidt 1B
- B. Rice DH
- C. Bellinger LF
- A. Rosario 3B
- T. Grisham CF
- A. Volpe SS
- J. Chisholm Jr. 2B
- J. Caballero RF
- A. Sánchez C
- C. Schlittler SP
Jones, who delivered an impressive 3-for-3 performance with one RBI in Friday’s game, will not be in the starting lineup on Sunday. The 25-year-old outfielder, who made his Major League Baseball debut last month, is hitting .259 through 11 games this season, with seven hits, three RBIs, and one stolen base. His recent hot streak had many expecting consistent playing time, making his omission a notable and somewhat surprising call by the Yankees coaching staff.
The decision has already ignited passionate reactions across social media, reflecting the high expectations surrounding the young prospect.
Fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their opinions:
- @nepaconch: “I think you omitted Jones. Give the kid MLB at bats if you want him to succeed.”
- @HolyPinstripes: “Why not Cabby at Short and Jones in right? The stranglehold Volpe has on this organization needs to be studied.”
- @NiBo9797: “Jones 3/3, needs MLB at bats, gets benched the other night and hasn’t seen the lineup again. Idiots.”
- @RamonCr29342747: “Jones plays every day at AAA now up here, he’s just a platoon player.”
- @DaAceAvenue: “They had a whole night to sleep on it and still put out this lineup. Give Spencer Jones a real shot.”
The sentiment among many supporters is clear: they want to see the promising 25-year-old given more opportunities to develop at the major league level rather than riding the bench.
Yankees Right Now
Despite the recent loss, New York remains firmly in the thick of the AL East race. Sitting at 37-26 after 63 games, the Yankees occupy second place in the division. They have played solid baseball of late, going 6-4 in their last 10 contests and boasting an 18-12 record at home this season.
With right-hander C. Schlittler getting the nod on the mound, the Yankees will aim to secure a series victory before heading to Cleveland to face the Guardians on Monday night.
As the season progresses, how the Yankees manage the development of young talents like Spencer Jones alongside their veteran core — including recent additions like Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger — could prove pivotal. For now, the decision to sit Jones on Sunday has become the immediate storyline in the Bronx, leaving fans eager to see how the highly-touted prospect factors into the team’s plans moving forward.
