Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. day to day with right knee discomfort

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. missed the first game of his big league career because of right knee discomfort on Sunday, a day after tweaking his knee on a check swing.

Lombard is day to day and not expected to go on the injured list. The Yankees also said he is not expected to get any cortisone injections.

“Structurally everything’s good, which is obviously good news,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees concluded a four-game series with Boston.

“So right now it’s day to day. They don’t seem too concerned about it but you got to get the discomfort and swelling out of there. So we’ll see what we have today, obviously then tomorrow and hopefully it stays a day to day and he’s back in there soon.”

Lombard was pulled after lining out to left field in the third inning of a 9-2 win over the Red Sox in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader. He singled in the second inning one pitch after experiencing pain on a check swing.

Before the single off Boston's Brayan Bello, Lombard grimaced and held his right knee. Boone and head athletic trainer Tim Lentych checked on him and Lombard continued for another inning.

“Structurally all the ligaments and everything was fine,” Lombard said before Sunday's game. “That was good news. Now when I come in today, there was just a little inflammation and kind of soreness in the patella, kneecap area.”

José Caballero finished Saturday’s game at shortstop and started there on Sunday for the first time since Aug. 3. He will play shortstop if Lombard misses more time beyond Sunday.

Lombard joined the Yankees on Aug. 4 and became the first New York shortstop to homer in his big league debut . The 21-year-old is hitting .253 with two homers and six RBIs in 23 games since getting promoted from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre after the Yankees used Caballero and Anthony Volpe at shortstop.

Lombard also has committed seven errors. He became the first Yankee shortstop with errors in six straight games since Roger Peckinpaugh in 1915 when he misplayed a grounder by Yainer Diaz in the eighth inning of Thursday’s 5-1 loss to Houston.

Luis Gil returned to the Yankees for the first time in more than four months when he was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. Gil was optioned to Triple-A after struggling in a 7-4 loss at Houston on April 26 and also missed more than three months with right shoulder inflammation.

The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in six minor league appearances this year. He was 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA in four starts with the Yankees in April.

“He’s been throwing the ball well,” Boone said. “He’s done a nice job. So he’s not only been in that conversation, not only this time but he’s been in that conversation the last couple of times we’ve been in a position to call somebody up.”

To make room for Gil, reliever Yerry De Los Santos was optioned to Triple-A. He pitched in both games of Saturday’s doubleheader and is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 15 appearances during four stints with the Yankees.

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