Spencer

Jones

Bellinger will get a breather in the second game of Saturday’s twin bill with left-hander Alec Gamboa starting on the mound for the Red Sox. Spencer Jones will draw a start in his place in left field and will bat seventh for the Bombers.

Heliot Ramos, meanwhile, is making his first start in six days against Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval. With Cody Bellinger back, it looks like Jones and Ramos could be in a straight platoon for now, though Jones could maybe start over Trent Grisham against some lefties. Jones actually has a 1.079 OPS in 34 plate appearances in lefty-lefty matchups. He has a .648 OPS in 155 plate appearances against righties.

Jones delivered an RBI double in the second and was also caught stealing for the first time as a big-leaguer. He has seven homers and eight steals in his first 57 games with the Yankees. Of course, it has come with a 36 percent strikeout rate. Heliot Ramos was the odd man out with Cody Bellinger back in the lineup, but playing time will be something to watch as New York gets healthier down the stretch.

Jones led off the third inning with a single and scored as Jose Caballero bounced into a fielder’s choice. He then crushed a 398-foot (108.0-mph EV) solo shot off of Kyle Bradish in the sixth inning that extended the Bombers’ advantage to 5-1. He also singled in the eighth inning and swiped second base but was ultimately left stranded there. For the season, the dynamic 25-year-old is now hitting .227/.305/.407 with six homers, 19 RBI and seven stolen bases on the season.

Jones has plenty of power, so hitting him in the middle of the lineup makes sense. However, in 17 games since the All-Star break, he’s also hitting .196 with a 25.4 percent strikeout rate, 17.2 percent swinging strike rate, and 68 percent contact rate. The power and solid walk rate have given him a usable .756 OPS, but he remains a risky bet given his contact profile.

Jones put the Yankees on the board with a base hit in the second inning to drive in a run, then stole second for his fourth steal of the season. He then plated his second RBI on a triple in the fifth before scoring on a balk. Jones would draw a walk in the eighth, reaching for a third time. It was an excellent day at the plate for the 25-year-old outfielder after going hitless in his last five games.

The wind was blowing in at Wrigley tonight, but Jones hit a 106-mph liner low enough get it out to left center. It was his third homer in four games, and he’s now at a solid .247/.333/.452 as a major leaguer, even with his 40 strikeouts in 105 plate appearances. The Yankees aren’t going to have to choose between Jones and Jasson Domínguez for a starting spot for at least a few weeks yet, but if they had to pick today, it’d seem to make sense to stick with Jones.

Jones, starting against LHP Shota Imanaga, blasted a 418-foot dinger in the fifth inning to provide the final scoreline. Jones has enough power (four homers) and speed (three stolen bases) to be a fantasy factor if he keeps getting consistent playing time, so proving he can handle left-handed pitching is crucial for him. Jones is hitting .265/.324/.500 in his last 15 games and .236/.327/.416 in 89 at bats on the season.

Spencer Jones truthers stand up! Well, not really. He socked a three-run homer in the first inning and then a 111 mph single in the sixth. After that single, he stole second base too. That’s three home runs and two stolen bases through 95 plate appearances this season, which is enough to make him intriguing in deeper leagues. Especially with Cody Bellinger out until September and Jones’ opportunity to grab regular playing time depending on whether or not the Yankees acquire an outfielder ahead of the trade deadline. Just be advised that he still has a 40% strikeout rate and that’s unlikely to improve much given his track record in the upper minors.

With Cody Bellinger (hamstring) landing on the injured list on Sunday, Jones will get another opportunity to show the Yankees what he can do at the big league level. The 25-year-old has slashed .224/.314/.355 with two homers, seven RBI, one stolen base and a 35/10 K/BB ratio over 86 plate appearances with the Bombers this season.