The New York Yankees are gearing up for a massive weekend series in the Bronx, beginning Friday night against the red-hot Atlanta Braves.
Ahead of the matchup, the Yankees released their nine-man lineup for the series opener, which will feature starting pitchers Max Fried for New York and Tyler Mahle for Atlanta.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn’t make many changes to his lineup, but he did make one notable adjustment involving rookie and top prospect George Lombard Jr.
Yankees Announce Lombard Jr. Change
Lombard Jr. is only two games into his MLB career, but he’s already making a strong first impression.
On Friday night, he will make his fourth start and could be moving up the lineup, as Boone moved him from the eighth spot to the seventh hole.
He will bat ahead of third baseman Ryan McMahon and catcher Austin Wells.
Here’s the Yankees’ full starting lineup:
Yankees 8/7
T. Grisham CF
B. Rice DH
H. Ramos LF
L. García Jr. 1B
J. Chisholm Jr. 2B
S. Jones RF
G. Lombard Jr. SS
R. McMahon 3B
A. Wells CM. Fried SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 7, 2026
Lombard Jr.’s Stats Through 2 Games
While his sample size remains extremely small, Lombard Jr. has already made an impact defensively at shortstop and has delivered a few memorable moments at the plate.
His first career hit came in the form of a home run during his MLB debut against the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this week. Through his first two games, he has recorded two hits and one walk across six at-bats.
Yankees Right Now
The Yankees (64-51) are entering a crucial stretch of the season, as the surging Boston Red Sox (63-51) have erased their division deficit and now sit just a half-game behind New York for the second-best record in the American League. That race could ultimately determine which team earns home-field advantage in the Wild Card Round.
New York Yankees Announce George Lombard Jr. Change Before Braves Series