Jasson Dominguez becomes youngest Yankees player with a 3-homer game

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Ever since Jasson Dominguez made his debut in the majors as a prized 20-year-old prospect, the New York Yankees have been expecting big things.

Dominguez delivered in a big way on Friday night, becoming the youngest player in the rich history of the Yankees franchise to hit three home runs in a single game.

“Tonight was special,” Dominguez said. “When I hit the third one, I was telling myself ‘No way. There’s no way.'”

Dominguez did it, capping the memorable night with a grand slam in the eighth inning of a 10-2 win to supplant Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio in the Yankees' record book.

At 22 years, 91 days old, Dominguez is the youngest player in Yankees history with a three-homer game, beating DiMaggio's mark set in 1937 against the St. Louis Browns by 109 days.

“That was incredible,” said teammate Aaron Judge, one of three other Yankees in history with a grand slam during a three-homer game.

“Just even going back to spring training, the guy goes out there wins a job. The work I saw him put in on the back field when no one was really looking on the defensive side, the work in the cage. To see him have a game like this tonight, three homers, is pretty special.”

Dominguez came into the season considered the top prospect in the Yankees system after brief stints in the majors in 2023 and ‘24. That hadn’t translated into big league success until Friday night's breakout performance with three homers — one right-handed and two left-handed — and seven RBIs.

Dominguez came into the game with two homers on the season and eight in 191 career at-bats since making his debut in the majors in 2023.

“That’s awesome,” said starter Will Warren, who played with Dominguez in the minors. “It’s always been there. Hopefully he had the spark tonight and continues with that.”

Dominguez started his big night with a solo shot in the third inning against Osvaldo Bido. After a sacrifice fly in the fifth, he added another solo shot against Hogan Harris in the seventh for his first homer in the majors from the right side of the plate.

He capped the night with the grand slam in the eighth against Elvis Alvarado.

“Very impressive, manager Aaron Boone said. ”Just really, really quality at-bats by him. He’s capable of things like that. Obviously the two lefty kind of similar, high kind of moonshot no-doubters. And the right-handed ball was absolutely scorched."

Dominguez become the fifth player this season with at least three homers in a game. Judge did it against Milwaukee on March 29, with Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez and St. Louis’ Ivan Herrera also hitting three in a game.

Eugenio Suarez had a four-homer game for Arizona against Atlanta on April 26.

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New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez, right, celebrates with third base coach Luis Rojas after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Friday, May 9, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez, center, celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Friday, May 9, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez watches his sacrifice fly during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Friday, May 9, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

New York Yankees' Jasson Domínguez celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Athletics, Friday, May 9, 2025, in West Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Veteran Australia batter Usman Khawaja has announced he will retire from international cricket after the fifth Ashes test beginning Sunday at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

He didn't go quietly.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja, who was the first Muslim to play for Australia, used his retirement announcement Friday to criticize the “racial" stereotyping he experienced during his career.

It will be the 39-year-old Khawaja's 88th and final test — played at the ground where he began his first-class career. Khawaja scored his first Ashes century at the SCG with 171 against England in 2018.

It was also at that the SCG where he revived his career at age 35, scoring two centuries against England. That prompted one of the great late-career revivals, as Khawaja hit seven centuries in his next two years back in the side.

But Khawaja’s position had come under scrutiny and criticism this season after being unable to open in the first Ashes test in Perth due to back spasms and then missing the Brisbane test with the injury.

He was then initially left out in Adelaide until Steve Smith’s vertigo allowed Khawaja to return, before an 82 in the first innings there ensured he would stay in the side for the fourth test in Melbourne. Australia, with a 3-1 lead going into the fifth test, has retained the Ashes.

Khawaja said he felt he was treated “a little bit different, even to now,” because of his Pakistan and Muslim background.

"Different in the way I’ve been treated, different in how things have happened,” he said at a media conference in Sydney. “I had back spasms, it was something I couldn’t control. The way the media and the past players came out and attacked me . . . I copped it for about five days straight. Everyone was piling in.

“Once the racial stereotypes came in, of me being lazy, it was things I’ve dealt with my whole life. Pakistani, West Indian, colored players...we’re selfish, we only care about ourselves, we don’t care about the team, we don’t train hard enough."

Khawaja said he knew the end of his career was imminent.

“I guess moving into this series, I had an inkling this would be the last series," he said. "I’m glad I can go out on my own terms.”

Khawaja has scored 6,206 runs at an average of 43.49 in his 87 tests with 16 centuries and 28 half-centuries.

“Usman has made a huge contribution to Australian cricket both through his outstanding achievements as one of our most stylish and resilient batters . . . and off field, particularly through the Usman Khawaja Foundation,” Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg said in a statement.

“Usman has been one of Australia’s most reliable opening batters and testament to his success was him being named ICC test cricketer of the year the same season that Australia won the World Test Championship (in 2023).”

Khawaja said his No. 1 emotion on announcing his retirement was “contentment.”

“I’m very lucky to have played so many games for Australia the way I have,” Khawaja said. "I hope I have inspired people along the way.”

AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja with his wife Rachel and daughters Aisha and Ayla after announcing that he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja, centre, sits with teammates after announcing he will retire from international cricket following the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia Usman Khawaja warms up during a practice session ahead of the fifth and final Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Sydney, Australia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

Australia's Travis Head, right, is congratulated by teammate Usman Khawaja after reaching 50 runs during play on day three of the third Ashes cricket test between England and Australia in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/James Elsby)

Australia's Usman Khawaja sign autograph to fans after they won the third Ashes cricket test match against England in Adelaide, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 (AP Photo/James Elsby)