Yankees weigh late-season call-up for prospect George Lombard Jr. as Judge’s rib heals
Yankees GM Brian Cashman said Aaron Judge will undergo a re-imaging procedure during the All-Star break and that the club may promote shortstop prospect George Lombard Jr. before the season ends.
New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told reporters Thursday that Aaron Judge is slated for a first-round re-imaging of his fractured rib during the All-Star break. The injury, sustained in late April, has kept Judge on the injured list for six weeks, and while the fracture is not expected to be fully healed, the team hopes the procedure will allow him to resume upper-body work.
Cashman declined to give a specific return date, noting that the club will monitor Judge’s progress before setting a timeline. In Judge’s absence, the Yankees have posted a 15-19 record, with Paul Goldschmidt providing the only consistent offensive output in June. Ben Rice has emerged as a key contributor in July, while Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe and Jasson Domínguez have struggled recently. The roster appears stable at right field and third base, and Cashman said the team does not expect to trade for a right fielder while Judge is expected back.
The shortstop and catcher positions remain unsettled. Aaron Boone continues to split shortstop duties between Volpe and José Caballero, and the catching group of Austin Wells, Ali Sánchez and J.C. Escarra has not produced offensively. Cashman praised the catchers’ defense but said, "> On the offensive side, it’s been a struggle, and it’s a surprise. We feel like we have players capable of a lot more."
The Yankees have been linked to Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers and are monitoring other catchers such as Tyler Stephenson, Jonah Heim and Joey Bart. Relief pitching and catching are identified as priority areas before the trade deadline.
Regarding prospect George Lombard Jr., Cashman indicated the club is keeping the option open for the 21-year-old first-round pick to debut before season’s end. He said, "> Looking forward to getting him back and active, and he might be a choice at some point. More importantly, we just got to get him playing again and turning him loose again in Triple-A. He’s a talented player who has been closing the offensive gap despite his age and is defensively ready to go."
Lombard, who was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in April, has posted a .231/.381/.385 line with four home runs in 42 games, showing solid contact and batted-ball metrics despite a modest batting average.