Yankees still have time to promote Jasson Dominguez when it matters most

The lineup the Yankees trot out Monday night in Texas holds far less significance than the one that takes the field for the first game of the playoffs, whether the best-of-three wild-card round or the best-of-five division series.

So perhaps it is best to hold the outrage over the hierarchy’s decision not to promote Jasson Dominguez to the big squad on Sunday when clubs were permitted to expand the roster to 28 by adding one position player and one pitcher.

Because while the Yanks chose to promote 26-year-old baserunning specialist Duke Ellis, who has a career total of four major league at-bats, as their designated position player — where is Herb Washington when you need him? — the decision is hardly irrevocable. Dominguez can be summoned at any time.

“[He was] certainly in the conversation and will remain in the conversation moving forward,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday before the Yankees were beaten 14-7 by the Cardinals at the Stadium in a game so deficient of sound fundamental baseball that it resembled an inferior 10U rec league contest. “When he comes up you’re going to want to play him every day, so he’ll continue to remain in that conversation.”

If Boone and GM Brian Cashman want Dominguez to play every day, they could make that happen. This in their control. It’s not as if they are barred by decree from playing the 21-year-old as often as they choose. For the time being, though, they are choosing to stick with Alex Verdugo as the everyday left fielder, despite his sub-.550 OPS since the middle of June.

The question, unanswerable at the moment, is whether the team is sticking with Verdugo — who had two hits batting out of the nine hole — because they want him in the lineup when the playoffs commence or whether they believe Dominguez needs more preparatory work at the Triple-A level before he’s ready for the crucible.