Power hitters, dominant starting pitchers, and lockdown relievers always garner the most attention from pundits and fans once the postseason begins. But the sport has a way of placing less discussed players into the spotlight once October arrives.
As such, it would not be entirely surprising to see New York Yankees rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. become a major component of what makes or breaks his team’s chances to get past the Boston Red Sox in the American League Wild Card Series.
While the youngster’s output has been imperfect, his skill set makes him someone worth watching as New York looks to make a deep playoff run. Some may wonder if he’s ready to face such a gauntlet, but manager Aaron Boone is confident that the 21-year-old is “ready” and will meet the moment.
“Just watching him go through it all these couple of months, how he's handled himself, how he's handled success and falling down, I feel like he’s totally equipped for it,” Boone said. “ You never know how it’s going to go in a game here or there or in a series. Baseball is going to baseball a little bit there, but I believe in the skills and the makeup.”
George Lombard Jr. could be key in more ways than one for the Yankees
Lombard’s productivity has been hot and cold during his first stint with the Yankees. After homering in his first big league contest, the former first-round pick scuffled for a handful of games at the plate, and this seemed to carry over into his defense.
Article Continues BelowDespite mixed results, he enters the postseason with momentum at the plate. Over his final seven games of the campaign, Lombard hit .250, slugged three home runs and tallied seven RBIs. While this is a small sample size, it suggests the Miami native was able to slowly find more comfort.
It could be said that any of his issues at the dish do not stem from anything involving his approach. According to Baseball Savant, Lombard has posted a 27.2 Chase%. This is an exemplary mark for a rookie who is still learning to compete at this highest level.
The Yankees have enough talent to slug past opponents when healthy, but receiving small contributions from Lombard could give the team more versatility. Lombard ranked in the 93rd percentile in terms of Sprint Speed this season. If he can work walks, slap a few cheap base hits, or even reach on a fielder’s choice, his speed could make a significant impact.
Perhaps more than his offense, Lombard's defense may be key. New York has struggled to play cleanly in previous postseasons, and it has cost them. Their fresh shortstop has shown flashes of brilliance at his position, and may make plays that could prevent runs from scoring.
New York’s strength lies in its starting rotation, and Lombard’s defensive prowess is something that would allow the staff to comfortably generate ground balls if needed without necessarily hunting for strikeouts.
Regardless of how Lombard competed in his first playoff series, it is evident that the young upstart is prepared to carry himself like a champion as New York looks to bring home a World Series title for the first time since 2009.
“In New York, the on-field impact is extremely important,” Lombard told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic earlier this month. “But the character and who you are person-wise is just as important.”