George Lombard Jr. added an unwanted line to New York Yankees history on Thursday night. The 21-year-old rookie shortstop committed an error for the sixth consecutive game, becoming the first Yankee to do so since second baseman Chick Fewster in 1921.
The latest miscue came in the eighth inning of a 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros. With Christian Walker on second, Yainer Diaz hit a grounder that caromed off Lombard’s glove. Third baseman Jose Caballero then threw wildly to first, allowing Walker to score.
Official scorers charged errors to both players.
Lombard, called up August 4 after Anthony Volpe was optioned to Triple-A, made just one error in his first 14 games. He now has seven errors in 20 games and a .925 fielding percentage. No major leaguer has posted a six-game error streak since Cleveland’s Mark Lewis in 1992. The last Yankees shortstop to do it was Roger Peckinpaugh in 1915.
“It’s something we’re trying to figure out. It’s not acceptable. It can’t happen at this level,” Lombard said, via the New York Daily News. “If you make your pitchers have to get extra outs, it just makes it way harder on us, and teams are going to capitalize.”
Manager Aaron Boone said Lombard will remain in the lineup.
“The good thing about George is he’s so skilled and gifted out there and foundationally he’s really good, too. So he will get through it,” Boone said.
Gerrit Cole said errors sometimes arrive in bunches and praised the rookie’s work ethic. Double-play partner Jazz Chisholm Jr. said Lombard is handling the New York spotlight well for a 21-year-old in his first month in the majors.
