Yankees' George Lombard Jr. Makes 124-Year Franchise History
The Yankees' 21-year-old rookie shortstop made history with his three-hit game against the Boston Red Sox.
On Tuesday, Sept. 29, the New York Yankees put rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. in the lineup for Game 1 of the American League wild-card series against the Boston Red Sox. In a significant milestone, Lombard Jr. not only made his first postseason appearance but also became the youngest player in 124 years of Yankees franchise history to collect a hit in a postseason game.
At just 21 years old, Lombard Jr.'s single against the Red Sox made him the youngest Yankee to do so, breaking the previous record held by Jesus Montero (21 years, 310 days) in 2011 ALDS Game 4. Mickey Mantle holds the distinction of being the only Yankee to have started a playoff game at a younger age than Lombard Jr., who made his major league debut in August.
Lombard Jr.'s performance went beyond his initial hit. He became the second-youngest player to record three or more hits in his postseason debut, with the youngest being Gregg Jefferies (21 years, 64 days) of the New York Mets in the 1988 NLCS. Prior to joining the Yankees, Lombard Jr. posted a .699 OPS (92 OPS+) in 152 regular season at-bats.
His strong defensive skills at shortstop earned him 1 WAR by Baseball Reference in his first 42 games, a nearly 4-WAR pace over a full season. In the limited sample of 30 plate appearances against left-handers this season, Lombard Jr. maintained a .910 OPS. His successful debut against the Red Sox's left-hander pitcher, Payton Tolle, made the decision to start him over veteran Jazz Chisholm Jr. easier.
Anthony Volpe, a right-handed hitter and another veteran, started at second base. Ben Rice took the offensive mantle as the team's key player, going 4 for 5 with two home runs and six RBIs.
With a win in Game 2 on Wednesday, the Yankees stand a chance to clinch the best-of-three series against the Boston Red Sox.
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