TAMPA — With roster decisions approaching, Dominic Smith has opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees, a source confirmed to the Daily News.
The Yankees now have 24 hours to add the veteran Smith, a non-roster invitee with no minor league options, to their roster if they wish. If not, Smith will become a free agent.
Smith was supposed to DH against the Tigers on Friday night, but he was scratched from the lineup after opting out.
The first baseman, 29, has put together a solid case for a spot on the Yankees’ bench this spring, hitting .297/.289/.857 with three home runs and 12 RBI. Injuries to Giancarlo Stanton and DJ LeMahieu have helped Smith’s argument, but his left-handed swing may have hurt him.
The Yankees could use a right-handed hitter on their bench, and Pablo Reyes, another non-roster invitee who has earned Aaron Boone’s admiration, has enjoyed a solid exhibition season, slashing .324/.455/.896 with one homer and four RBI. Reyes can also play all over the diamond. That includes third base, a position that Oswaldo Cabrera will see a lot of time at but doesn’t necessarily have a stranglehold on.
As far as in-house options are concerned, Trent Grisham, J.C. Escarra and Oswald Peraza are the leading candidates for the rest of the Yankees’ bench. Of course, they could always add externally as teams crunch rosters at the end of camp.
Peraza is out of minor league options and will be exposed to waivers if he’s not traded or on the Yankees’ Opening Day roster.
Ben Rice, another lefty, made Smith expendable as a DH option in Stanton’s absence. Grisham and Escarra are lefties too.
A former Met, Smith recently told the Daily News that he was excited over the possibility of playing in New York again.
“It’s out of my control, but just the initial opportunity to come here and play for spring training and compete for a job, it’s every child’s dream to wear these pinstripes,” Smith said. “There’s no bigger market, no bigger city, no bigger fanbase, no higher stage, and that’s what we live for.
“To come back, I’m just very thankful and very, very, very excited.”
Smith also attributed his impressive spring to a clean bill of health, as he had been dealing with right hand issues — possibly a partial break — for several years prior to 2025. He underwent hamate surgery two Januarys ago.
“They say your best ability is availability,” Smith said. “Just to be fully healthy is huge. It makes a difference out on the field. It makes a difference with your confidence in the box.
“To have that in the back of your mind every at-bat because you know the pain you feel with each swing, it takes away some of your aggressiveness and some of your power. So I’m just happy that I’m feeling like myself again.”