Tuesday, September 29

Welcome to this edition of the Yankees Beat newsletter. MLB.com's Matthew Ritchie wrote this edition.

NEW YORK -- It’s only been a little over a week, but the common refrain peddled by Yankees players and staff about shortstop George Lombard Jr. has to do with how comfortable the top prospect looks out there on the field. Despite all the fanfare and history surrounding his debut -- homering twice in his first four games while becoming the youngest shortstop to start for the Yankees since Derek Jeter -- the phrase “slow heartbeat” has characterized his approach at the plate and the way he ranges to his right and left with the glove. 

And Lombard seems to be the first person to say that the action in between the lines has been the easiest part so far. 

“The whole day was a whirlwind, the first one,” Lombard said. “But I feel like since I’ve gotten here, the games themselves have kind of been the slowest part. Just when I’ve been out there, it’s when I’ve felt the most calm, the most relaxed and just where I belong.”

But there are two sides to the life of a ballplayer, right? 

There is a litany of tools that the organization has at its disposal to make the transition from the Minors as smooth as possible, from the dedicated training staff to the smallest piece of analytical data. But maybe the most underrated feature is the human element and being prepared for everything else that comes with becoming a Major Leaguer, something that the Yankees have figured out with their clubhouse construction. And when walking into the locker room and peeping to the left, you’ll see three names lined up in a row -- Spencer Jones, Ben Rice and Lombard. 

Besides the fact that all three have been considered prized prospects at one time or another, the trio has spent their entire careers with the organization, almost chasing each other up the ladder to the big league level. That shared experience is impossible to overstate, especially when it comes to making it stick in the Majors.

“Both sides are definitely important, having guys like Giancarlo [Stanton], Cap [Aaron Judge] and [Paul] Goldy that have done it for a long time,” Lombard said. “But then having Spencer and Ben, guys that have come up through the org and you’ve played with someone coming up -- they both have helped a lot. Like just getting different perspectives, asking them a bunch of things. 

“They’ve definitely made me feel more comfortable. Whenever I’ve had something to ask them, they’ve given me good answers.”

Sure, their ascensions have been a bit staggered. Being a 2021 Draft pick, Rice made his MLB debut in the summer months of 2024 before sticking in ‘25 on the way to becoming the constant offensive threat that he’s morphed into; Jones got his first callup this past May with Lombard right on his tail. The latter pair received more run together in the Minors, with Jones being drafted in ‘22 and Lombard the following year. 

But even with the lack of shared playing time -- Jones and Lombard played 22 games together at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, and 22 at Double-A Somerset last season -- there’s something deeper that has fused their journeys together. 

“It’s huge … you know, Ben and George didn’t really spend any time in the Minor Leagues together,” Jones said. “But, [we] created a strong relationship of being friends because we share a lot of the same values by being drafted by the same organization, and essentially going through the same things every year. … I think there’s a lot of shared trust and similar ideals between all of us.

“When I was back down, George was asking a bunch of questions about what it was like, right? Because he wanted to know what it was like, and he wanted an honest opinion. And I was there for him to tell him as much as I could. And Ben did the same thing for me when we caught up in the offseason. So it’s just part of it, trusting each other.”

•  Moved into 3 hole, Jones rewards faith by fueling Yankees' outburst

It’s not always the grand questions and marquee moments on the field shaping the future for Lombard, Jones and Rice, who many fans hope will be central pieces to extend the club’s championship window for a little longer. According to Lombard, even “the tiniest things that you don’t really see watching from the outside, those little things of transitioning to being in the big leagues,” add up to make life a little bit easier. Sometimes it means lingering postgame for just a few more minutes, chatting about music and moving to a new city, or asking about routines when arriving at the ballpark. 

For the slew of uber-talented 20-somethings still in the early stages of figuring out how to make it and contribute at the big league level, every little piece of information they’re able to save and share with each other adds up. 

“It’s definitely like you don’t want to try and just take everything on yourself and tough it out,” Lombard said. “Because that’s when things can come crashing and burning if you don’t get ahead of them. I feel like those guys make it known that they are there for you to lean on and there for you to know to use them however you’d like. Just bouncing things off them, whatever you need.”

Ten years ago today on August 13, 2016, Aaron Judge became part of the first pair of players to hit back-to-back home runs in their first MLB at-bats. Who hit the first home run to set up the feat?

A) Tyler Austin

B) Mason Williams

C) Rob Refsnyder

D) Ben Gamel

• Giancarlo Stanton continued to up his running progression on the basepaths this week. Manager Aaron Boone shared on Tuesday that Stanton had been stacking good days and that it “feels like he’s getting closer” to returning. Still, it’s not set in stone whether or not Stanton will go on a rehab assignment as the final step in his return from the right calf strain that has kept him out since April 25.

• Carlos Rodón is slated to make his second rehab start on Thursday with Double-A Somerset, after tossing 48 pitches in his rehab outing this past Saturday. There’s a chance that this will be Rodón’s final rehab appearance before coming back to the Yankees' rotation, where he could find himself in a “piggyback” scenario. 

• Cody Bellinger is continuing to put together full workouts -- involving running at “90% of his normal top speed,” taking batting practice and fielding balls off the machine in left field -- with manager Aaron Boone sharing that he believes the left fielder isn’t “too far off” from getting over the left hamstring strain that’s sidelined him since July 27.

A) Tyler Austin

Austin and Judge became the first pair of teammates to homer in their first career at-bat in the same game. Austin finished his debut campaign in 2016 with five home runs, while Judge ended his short cameo that year with four blasts.

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