Is George Lombard Jr.’s Yankees Injury Less Serious Than Feared?

The New York Yankees had plenty to worry about after George Lombard Jr. suddenly grabbed at his right knee. Thankfully, the latest medical update has turned a potentially scary situation into a much more manageable one.

The Yankees rookie injured his knee during a check swing in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox. He initially stayed in the game, even recording a single on the next pitch and briefly returning to shortstop. But the discomfort eventually forced him out.

An MRI was the next step, and the results brought some welcome relief: there is no structural damage to Lombard’s right knee.

MRI Provides Relief for the Yankees

Yankees manager Aaron Boone confirmed that imaging showed no structural damage, leaving Lombard classified as day-to-day.

That is a major positive for New York. After watching their young shortstop leave the game, Yankees fans were probably preparing for the worst. Instead, the team appears to have avoided a major injury at an important point in the season.

Lombard was held out of Sunday’s series finale while the Yankees evaluated his condition and determined when he could safely return.

The 21-year-old has already experienced an eventful first taste of the majors. Since being recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre earlier this month, he has shown both promising offensive flashes and some growing pains defensively.

Lombard Has Shown Promise — and Some Growing Pains

Through his first 23 games, Lombard is batting .253 with two home runs and four extra-base hits in 87 plate appearances. He has also driven in six runs.

Those numbers show why the Yankees were willing to give the young infielder an opportunity at the major-league level.

Defensively, however, Lombard’s introduction to the Bronx has been considerably tougher.

Before finally ending the streak, he committed an error in six consecutive games. That put him in an unwanted piece of Yankees history, as he became the first New York shortstop since Roger Peckinpaugh in 1915 to make an error in six straight games.

Overall, Lombard has been charged with seven errors in his first 23 games at shortstop.

So, just as the rookie finally escaped one defensive headache, another problem arrived. Baseball can be wonderfully cruel like that.

A Freak Check-Swing Injury

Lombard described the injury as something that simply felt unusual while he was trying to check his swing and avoid an incoming pitch.

“Felt something a little off,” Lombard told the New York Post, explaining that it was essentially a strange, freak occurrence.

The Yankees responded cautiously, sending him to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital for an MRI after he exited the game.

With no structural damage found, New York can now take a more conservative approach. The club will monitor Lombard’s knee closely rather than immediately facing the possibility of a lengthy absence.

For a young player still adjusting to the pace and demands of MLB, that is an important distinction.

Yankees Shuffle the Infield

While Lombard was unavailable, Jose Caballero moved into the shortstop spot. Amed Rosario shifted to third base, while Jazz Chisholm moved over to second.

The Yankees also made a corresponding roster move involving their pitching staff, optioning Yerry de los Santos to the minors to clear space for Luis Gil’s return.

Gil’s comeback could prove especially important as New York looks toward the stretch run.

Luis Gil Returns in a Different Role

The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year struggled during his first stint with the Yankees this season. He was sent to Triple-A in April after recording a 6.05 ERA across four starts and 19.1 innings.

His return comes with a potentially different assignment.

Since being demoted, Gil has appeared three times as a reliever. During that stretch, he has recorded six strikeouts against three walks while averaging 96.1 mph on his fastball.

That relief role could allow the Yankees to carefully manage his workload before deciding whether to build him back up as a starter.

For a team thinking about October, having another arm capable of taking meaningful innings could be extremely valuable.

De Los Santos Faces a Difficult Roster Situation

Yerry de los Santos was the player who lost his roster spot to make room for Gil.

The timing was particularly tough because de los Santos had just pitched in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. He retired the only batter he faced in the opener before throwing a scoreless ninth inning in the second game.

He also carried a sparkling 1.35 ERA.

Boone acknowledged that sending him down was a difficult decision, praising both his performance and professionalism.

The situation is even more complicated because this was de los Santos’ fifth option of the season.

That means the Yankees cannot simply shuttle him between the majors and minors again in the usual way. If they want to bring him back after another demotion, he would have to pass through waivers.

That adds a significant layer of risk for New York, particularly if another team decides to take a chance on a reliever who has been performing extremely well.

What Comes Next for the Yankees?

The immediate priority is clear: monitor Lombard and make sure the knee responds well before putting him back on the field.

The MRI results are encouraging, but the Yankees have little reason to rush a 21-year-old prospect back from an injury, especially with the postseason picture becoming increasingly important.

At the same time, Gil’s return gives New York another pitching option, while de los Santos’ roster situation demonstrates just how difficult roster management can become during the playoff push.

For Lombard, the good news is that the knee issue does not appear to be serious. Now the Yankees will hope his next headline is about a big hit or a defensive play—not another trip to the MRI machine.

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