Oof. New York Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. got pulled from the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Boston, all because of right knee discomfort. He's currently undergoing imaging at nearby New York-Presbyterian hospital, and everyone's holding their breath.
A Real Gut Punch
Man, it all happened so fast. During his at-bat in the second inning, Lombard checked his swing on a 2-2 pitch from Boston's Brayan Bello. You could see it right away: he grimaced hard and grabbed that right knee. An athletic trainer and manager Aaron Boone rushed out to check on him, but Lombard, the tough kid he is, stayed in the game and even ripped a single. He took his at-bat in the third inning too, flying out to left field after the Yankees had grabbed a 3-1 lead. But then, he just didn't take the field for the fourth. Jose Caballero slid from third base to shortstop, and Amed Rosario came into the game at third for New York. It's a brutal blow.
A Rollercoaster Ride to Remember (or Forget?)
This kid has been on a wild ride since he got called up. Lombard just joined the Yankees on August 4, and what a debut it was: he became the first New York shortstop to homer in his big league debut. He's hitting .253 with two homers and six RBIs in 23 games since his promotion from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre, stepping into the shortstop role after the Yankees had been using both Caballero and Anthony Volpe there. He clearly showed flashes of what he can do at the plate.
What's Next For The Rookie?
But let's be real, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for Lombard Jr. He's already committed seven errors this season. In fact, he just became the first Yankee shortstop with errors in six straight games since Roger Peckinpaugh did it way back in 1915! That historic misplay happened when he muffed a grounder by Yainer Diaz in the eighth inning of Thursday's 5-1 loss to Houston. So now, with the imaging happening, the stakes are super high. This knee injury is a huge hit for a rookie who's already had an incredibly eventful and tough start to his big-league career. Everyone's just waiting to hear what the doctors say.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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