SI:AM | How Tarik Skubal and George Lombard Jr. Fared in Their Debuts

Skubal took the mound in a Dodgers uniform for the first time, while the Yankees called up the prospect they hope will be their shortstop of the future.

Tarik Skubal made his debut with the Dodgers on Tuesday in a loss to the Cubs. | Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images

Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. Let’s take a look at two players who had solid debuts in new uniforms last night. I’ll spare Freddy Peralta the embarrassment of closely examining his disastrous first start with the Rays. (Although Tampa Bay came back to win in 11 innings.)

In today’s SI:AM: 
🏈 Breer’s notes from Chiefs camp
1️⃣ Analyzing CFB coaches poll
⚾ Who boosted their farm system at the deadline

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Skubal’s first start in Dodger blue

Don’t worry, everyone. MLB’s labor crisis is fixed. All that handwringing about how the Dodgers’ trade for Tarik Skubal will lead to a protracted lockout as owners dig in their heels to fight for a salary cap in the name of “competitive balance” can stop. 

Skubal made his first start with his new team last night, and the Dodgers lost. So much for him making Los Angeles so utterly unstoppable that it requires upending the game’s economic system. 

Skubal allowed two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work against the Cubs in Chicago. (It was also his first appearance at Wrigley Field.) Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ offense was held in check in the 5–1 loss. Their only run came on a solo homer by former Cub Kyle Tucker in the second inning. After Chicago starter Javier Assad was pulled from the game with two outs in the sixth, four Cubs relievers held the Dodgers without a hit the rest of the way. 

Though the Dodgers lost, Skubal was pleased with how he pitched. 

“I think my stuff was plenty good,” he told reporters. “I felt like I commanded everything really well. When I was missing, I was missing in the areas that I was trying to go.”

The loss was the Dodgers’ fifth in a row after they lost the series opener in Chicago on Monday and were swept by the Red Sox over the weekend. That’s their longest losing streak of the season. They’ve been outscored 35–16 over that span. It’s just the second time in the past six seasons that they’ve had a five-game losing streak in which they’ve been outscored by at least 19 runs. 

Despite the losing streak, the Dodgers are still well on their way to a fifth straight NL West title. They currently hold a nine-game lead over the second-place Diamondbacks. The primary race is with the Brewers and Braves for the best record in the NL and home field advantage in the playoffs. Milwaukee will come to Dodger Stadium for a four-game set later this month that could loom large come October. 

Yankees rookie impresses in MLB debut

The Yankees turned to 21-year-old George Lombard Jr. to try to solve their shortstop problem. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The other notable debut on Tuesday night belonged to Yankees top prospect George Lombard Jr. 

Lombard, the son of former MLB outfielder George Lombard, went 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk in the Yankees’ 2–0 win over the Cardinals in his first big league game. He also flashed some impressive defense at shortstop, highlighted by a great off-balance throw to start a double play in the second inning. He made another tricky play in the fourth and again in the fifth. 

“You see how fluid he is out there, how physical he is,” manager Aaron Boone said of Lombard. “The ease with which he makes plays, it’s kind of what I’ve marveled at the last two springs being around him.”

Lombard, 21, is the No. 1 prospect in the Yankees’ system. He was the team’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft and was quickly promoted to Triple A earlier this season after a strong start to the year at Double A. 

Shortstop has been a question mark for the Yankees all season. Utilityman José Caballero has started the majority of games at short, but he lacks the defensive ability to make that his permanent home. Anthony Volpe, who had started there for each of the previous three seasons, began the year on the injured list and has been disappointing both at the plate and in the field. Volpe was sent down to Triple A when Lombard was promoted.

Lombard’s promotion raises interesting questions for how Boone will fill out his lineup card. Caballero was not in the lineup last night, with Boone choosing to keep Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon at their usual spots at second and third, respectively. McMahon has been among the team’s worst hitters (only catcher Austin Wells has a worse OPS among Yankees regulars) and would seem to be the obvious candidate for a demotion. Caballero does have experience at third base, as does Chisholm, if Boone chooses to put Caballero at second. 

Lombard won’t be an All-Star-caliber player right away, but he at least provides some excitement for a Yankees team that has been running on fumes since Cody Bellinger joined Aaron Judge on the injured list. 

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The top five…

… things I saw last night: 
5. Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth’s glove flip to get the out at second. 
4. Braves catcher Drake Baldwin’s throw to catch a runner at third for the final out of Atlanta’s win over the Marlins. 
3. An incredible moment for George Lombard Jr.’s family: Lombard’s younger brother, Jacob, hit a home run in his first professional game since being drafted in the first round by the Marlins. George and Jacob’s parents watched the play while sitting in the stands at Yankee Stadium and went nuts. 
2. An impressively creative play by Mariners minor leaguer Jhonathan Díaz. Díaz, a left-handed pitcher, fielded a ball with his right hand and made an accurate throw to first because it was easier than turning his body to field it with his left. 
1. Another brilliant goal for FC Cincinnati star Evander. That’s the third time in the past week that I’ve featured a spectacular goal of his in this newsletter.