Legitimate George Lombard Jr. concerns mount after Yankees' playoff clinch

When the New York Yankees promoted George Lombard Jr. to the majors, they knew that there would be a sizable learning curve for the top prospect. There’s no doubt that the youngster has untapped potential to become a star, but after more than 30 games, his inexperience is starting to really show. Even as the team clinched another playoff berth, Lombard Jr. has displayed a concerning lack of polish that may end up costing the Yankees dearly in October. 

This isn’t meant to dunk on the young shortstop. He’s done about as well as you’d expect a 21-year-old to play considering the situation. Even seasoned veterans have struggled to handle the bright spotlight in the Bronx, especially anyone who has attempted to start at shortstop. But just from the eye test, Lombard Jr. has been prone to making mental mistakes, especially when it comes to speeding up his internal clock on defense. 

During the Yankees’ 8-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Sept. 14, Lombard Jr. fielded a throw from second baseman Anthony Volpe in the bottom of the ninth. What should have been a simple force out instead led to both runners being called safe after Lombard Jr. rushed the play in an attempt to try and turn two. The duo eventually turned a double play one batter later, but the play highlighted a growing concern with Lombard Jr. and his mental errors. A few innings prior, he couldn't haul in a line drive that hit his glove. That extended the inning and contributed to the Yankees relinquishing their lead.

In Tuesday's win, fans got hit with another bit of oddness, as Lombard Jr. took too long on a routine play with Royce Lewis running, bitten by his lack of knowledge of the base runner. Lewis reached base on a ball he absolutely should not have been rewarded for hitting, and eventually came around to score the Twins' only run on a two-out single, cutting the deficit to 2-1 (before things ballooned).

In just 33 games, Lombard Jr. has experienced some tremendous highs and embarrassing lows. He managed to hit the Yankees’ first grand slam of the season on Sept. 9 against the Colorado Rockies. He also endured a dubious six-game streak of committing an error in the field. 

Yet somewhere in the middle of all of that, he’s been a serviceable player so far in his debut season. But is that enough for the Yankees? For a team that is eying a World Series run, is Lombard Jr. good enough right now to start in the postseason? With less than two weeks left in the regular season, it’s too late to back out now. For better or for worse, Lombard. Jr. will be put to the ultimate postseason test. 

The Yankees don’t need George Lombard Jr. to be elite right now

Through his first  282 1/3 innings played this season, Lombard Jr. has committed eight errors. That's about an error every four games. Over the course of a full season, that would translate to around 40 errors. That would be the most errors committed by a player in a single season since José Offerman’s 42-error season in 1992. Multiplying the sample size like that isn't how things work, but there's a picture painted for you.

In a postseason series, one error could be the difference between going home or moving on. For a rookie already under increased scrutiny, Lombard Jr. could be approaching a perfect error storm. However, things may not be all doom and gloom. Lombard Jr. has not played nearly as bad as his stat sheet would appear to indicate. 

With eight Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in his limited time, Lombard Jr. already ranks in the top 10 in all of baseball among shortstops. While his Outs Above Average (1) paints a different picture, there's no reason to believe a young player with the athletic skills of Lombard Jr. won't be able to improve his range and overall reaction time. As mentioned before, it appears as if the game is moving just a little too fast at times for the rookie. 

The same could be said about his approach at the plate. With a .677 OPS in August, Lombard Jr. didn't exactly set the world ablaze offensively, but he flashed his ability to go the other way and put up some very decent at-bats. His September has been a different story. Outside of his grand slam on Sept. 9, he has struggled mightily adjusting to Major League pitching. 

Other teams now know his weaknesses and they have been exploiting them routinely. But with the return of Aaron Judge in the lineup, some pressure may be taken off of Lombard Jr. to give him a moment to breathe and slow down the game. Since Judge rejoined the Yankees on Sept. 8, the team is 5-1. They’ve also averaged 4.83 runs scored per game in that stretch, a bump up from their season average of 4.57. With a deeper lineup that is able to score more runs, Lombard Jr. could take advantage and make those crucial adjustments and find his swing. 

Throwing a rookie into the postseason fire isn't an optimal solution, but Lombard Jr. doesn't have to be the guy to carry the team. He doesn't even need to be elite just yet. If he's able to clean up his mistakes and get back to what made him the team's top prospect, he can play a pivotal role in winning a championship for the Yankees.

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