BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 19: George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees drives in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) Getty
According to a recent report by New York reporter Jon Heyman, the Yankees were willing to part ways with shortstop George Lombard Jr. in a potential trade that would have involved Hunter Goodman.
Flashback to the 2026 MLB trade deadline: it was thought that the Yankees' biggest target was a right-handed hitting catcher.
However, New York whiffed completely on upgrading at the catcher position, and that may or may not have led to an early exit in the MLB playoffs.
Now, fast-forward to the 2026 offseason, the Yankees are already being urged to try to trade for Hunter Goodman in a recovery-type move.
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GettyBALTIMORE, MARYLAND – AUGUST 19: George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees drives in a run with a sacrifice fly in the second inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on August 19, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Wow… wouldn't it be something if the Yankees actually moved on from George Lombard Jr.?
It's also an interesting report from the standpoint of thinking if there will be speculation surrounding Lombard Jr.'s roster status going forward.
George Lombard Jr. was a standout contributor for the Yankees down the stretch, and he's entirely too young to give up on, but it's clear the Yankees were trying to pull all the strings to acquire Hunter Goodman.
There's also a side to this that the report from Heyman doesn't have much substance behind it, because it doesn't make sense for the Yankees front office to reveal any of the details in a potential blockbuster trade that didn't happen months ago.
In 2026, Lombard Jr.'s first taste of MLB action, Lombard Jr. batted .237 with seven home runs, 22 RBI, and an OPS+ of 92 over 152 at-bats.
He's just 21 years old.
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New York Yankees fans, do you buy or sell this trade report regarding George Lombard Jr.?
Lombard Jr. did a lot of things the right way in his first MLB action, which doesn't often happen, especially with players who are under the age of 2022.
George Lombard Jr. is expected to be a key piece of the New York Yankees' future, and there are always growing pains along the way in any young star's development.
Speaking quickly to the Hunter Goodman side of this report, which should also carry some weight, Goodman's power at the catcher position right now is unmatched.
He's smashed 72 home runs over the last two seasons and has a strong case to be the best power-hitting catcher in MLB right now.
Perhaps the Yankees can still try to acquire Goodman via trade, but it wouldn't likely feature Lombard Jr.
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This article was originally published on HEAVY
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