New York Yankees Mike Vaccaro George Lombard Jr.’s Yankees start comes with shared Derek Jeter advantage By Mike Vaccaro Published Aug. 17, 2026, 5:18 p.m. ET New York Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) cuts in front of second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) to catch a ball. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post There were a lot of elements to that perfect storm of 1996, when Derek Jeter easily settled into his role as a fixture at shortstop.
The Yankees had plenty of veterans to bear many of the early burdens. The manager, Joe Torre, offered a preternatural feel for young talent, having been a hotshot kid himself once. There was, of course, this: Jeter was highly skilled on both sides of the ball, blessed with a natural gift for leadership at a position where that is a bountiful asset.
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Derek Jeter didn’t have to worry about following Derek Jeter.
