New York Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. is making all kinds of history in his first 20 games in the big leagues – some good and some bad.
The good? He became the first Yankees shortstop to homer in his debut. The bad? He has made an error in six straight games, becoming the first Yankees shortstop to achieve the dubious mark since Roger Peckinpaugh did it in 1915.
“It’s something we’re trying to figure out,” Lombard said. “It’s not acceptable. It can’t happen at this level. If you make your pitchers have to get extra outs, it just makes it way harder on us, and teams are going to capitalize. So it’s something that we’re definitely going to have to clean up and I’ve got to be better tomorrow.”
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Lombard, who has dazzled with some spectacular plays, has struggled with the routine ones during this stretch. He has made seven errors in 20 games this season.
Lombard’s error in the Yankees’ 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday led to a run. With a runner on second base and the Yankees down 4-1 in the top of the eighth inning, Astros first baseman Christian Walker hit a ground ball to Lombard.
He tried to come around and fire it to first, but the ball bounced up off his glove instead of into it. Yankees third baseman José Caballero then picked the ball up off the carom and proceeded to airmail it over first baseman Luis Garcia Jr.’s head.
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Both Lombard and Caballero were charged with errors on the play as the run scored on the two misplays.
“The one today, it’s kind of that in-between ball. So you’re like, is the third baseman getting there?” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Is he not? There’s a little indecisiveness there. So I think that played into that a little bit.”
Despite Lombard’s recent struggles, Boone has full confidence in his 21-year-old shortstop.
“The good thing about George is you know he’s so skilled and gifted out there and foundationally he’s really good, too,” Boone said. “So he will get through it.”
The Yankees (75-58) need Lombard to be at his best this weekend, as they enter into the weekend with a huge four-game series against the Boston Red Sox (73-60). The Yankees hold a two-game lead for the top wild-card spot in the American League over their bitter rivals.
The first game of the series is Friday night at 7:15 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
