The New York Yankees fell 9-7 to the Houston Astros in their series opener Tuesday night.
It marked George Lombard Jr.’s 18th MLB game since the Yankees called him up from Triple-A on Aug. 4.
While Lombard has been an extremely pleasant surprise at the plate and in the field, he has hit a challenging stretch defensively. He has committed four errors over his last four games after making just one during his first 14.
Aaron Boone Speaks on Lombard Jr.’s Recent Errors
Nobody is sounding the alarm. Lombard has largely played well defensively, and Yankees manager Aaron Boone made it clear before Monday’s game that he views the recent mistakes as part of the rookie’s development.
“I feel like over time he’ll be really good at the routine [plays],” Boone said via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “So I think that’s just a little bump in the road.”
George Lombard Jr. has committed four errors in his last four games. Asked about that pregame, Aaron Boone said: “I feel like over time he’ll be really good at the routine [plays]. So I think that’s just a little bump in the road.”
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) August 25, 2026
Boone has sung Lombard Jr.’s praises on several occasions since the rookie arrived in the Bronx. He’s certainly not one to throw his players under the bus or publicly call out their struggles, which makes his response fitting.
Lombard Jr.’s 2026 Season With Yankees
Lombard Jr. recorded eight defensive runs saved in his first 11 games, quickly putting himself among MLB’s best shortstops in the category despite his limited sample size.
At the plate, following Monday night’s game, he’s batting .286 across 63 at-bats. He’s also recorded 12 runs, 18 hits, two home runs, five RBIs and six walks while slugging .397 with a .740 OPS.
Aaron Boone Makes Honest Statement About George Lombard Jr.’s Recent Errors