Lombard Brothers Both Homer in Debuts Hours Apart
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- George Lombard Jr. homered in his second major league plate appearance at Yankee Stadium, helping the Yankees beat the St. Louis Cardinals 2-0; he became the 14th Yankee to homer in his debut, the third-youngest to do so, and the fourth-youngest Yankees infielder to homer in a game, joining a list that includes Yogi Berra and Aaron Judge
- Jacob Lombard, George's 18-year-old brother and a first-round pick of the Miami Marlins, hit a solo homer in his second plate appearance for Single-A Jupiter roughly an hour earlier — both home runs came off hanging breaking balls with nearly identical exit velocities (100.2 mph vs. 99.9 mph) and matching 33-degree launch angles
- Anthony Volpe, the former hyped Yankees shortstop of the future, was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Lombard, a move manager Aaron Boone said reflects the Yankees' belief Lombard 'gives them a better chance to win' as they chase the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East crown
- George Lombard Sr., the Detroit Tigers' bench coach and a former big-league outfielder, and his wife Judy flew from Seattle to New York after learning of George's promotion and watched Jacob's homer on a phone in the stands at Yankee Stadium, embracing when George Jr. connected
- Lombard Jr., a 2023 first-round pick and the organization's top prospect, batted .377 with a 1.081 OPS over 14 Triple-A games after missing nearly a month with two sprained fingers; Boone compared his defensive athleticism to 'a puma,' citing his off-balance throws and smooth double-play turn in the second inning
Why it matters: The Yankees have formally handed their shortstop job to a 21-year-old rookie by demoting Anthony Volpe — a player they once built around — signaling they believe Lombard's upside is the better bet for a pennant push in the AL East. The Lombard brothers' synchronized debut is the rare baseball coincidence that doubles as a franchise-altering organizational decision.
Ask SkimNews
