Lombard Injury Sparks Day-to-Day Watch as Yankees Eye Judge Return

Yankees split a Saturday doubleheader with the Red Sox as rookie George Lombard Jr. exited early with a right knee issue but is listed as day-to-day after imaging; he has started every game at short since Aug. 4 and is batting .253/.310/.367 with 2 homers in 23 games, though his defense has drawn mixed reviews. Aaron Boone said Lombard will get through this. Meanwhile, Aaron Judge could return from a rib stress fracture during the Sept. 8-13 homestand, with rehab assignment decisions still pending. Clarke Schmidt and Ryan McMahon began Double-A Somerset rehab assignments; Schmidt threw 20 pitches in 2/3 of an inning, and McMahon went 0-for-3. The Yankees sit 77-59, nine games up in the wild-card race and are all but assured of a postseason berth.