The New York Yankees dropped a 9-7 decision to the Houston Astros in the opener of their series on Tuesday night.
The loss came in what was the 18th major league appearance for shortstop George Lombard Jr. The club brought him up from Triple-A on Aug. 4.
Lombard has offered a welcome boost both at the plate and with the glove for much of his time in the majors. Lately, though, the defensive side has proven tougher.
He has been charged with four errors across his past four games. That stands in contrast to the single error he recorded over his first 14 contests.
No one in the organization is treating the recent miscues as a major crisis. Lombard has handled most of his chances cleanly overall.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone addressed the matter before Monday’s game. He framed the stretch as a normal part of a young player finding his way at the highest level.
“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.”
Boone has spoken highly of Lombard on multiple occasions since the call-up. The manager rarely singles out players in a negative way when discussing their performance in public.
That approach fits the measured tone he took this time. The comments reflect a belief that the early defensive success will return once the rookie settles in further.
In his first 11 games, Lombard posted eight defensive runs saved. The mark placed him among the stronger shortstops in the majors even with the small number of opportunities.
His bat has held up as well. Through Monday night’s action, Lombard was hitting .286 in 63 at-bats.
He has scored 12 runs and collected 18 hits. The totals also include two home runs, five RBIs and six walks.
His slugging percentage sits at .397, and his on-base plus slugging mark is .740. Those numbers have helped the Yankees as they navigate the later portion of the schedule.
At 21 years old and still early in his big-league experience, Lombard continues to adjust to the speed and demands of major league competition. The recent errors have drawn some attention, yet the club’s view remains focused on long-term growth rather than short-term setbacks.
Boone’s comments underscore that perspective. The organization appears content to let the young shortstop work through the current stretch while counting on the tools that made him a pleasant addition in the first place.
Fans and observers will watch closely to see how quickly Lombard regains the consistency he showed in the early going. For now, the manager’s message is clear: this is viewed as a temporary phase in an otherwise encouraging start.
