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Man United permanent transfer now close with buy-back clause included in deal

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Man Utd are close to agreeing their second sale of the summer transfer window, with a goalkeeper set to depart

Manchester United are close to agreeing a sale of Radek Vitek to Championship club Middlesbrough. Vitek spent last season on loan in the second tier with Bristol City and informed United of his desire to play senior football at the beginning of the summer.

United are set to grant the goalkeeper his wish and cash in, with a buy-back clause inserted into the deal. Vitek will become United’s second senior sale of the summer following Tyler Fredricson’s exit.

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Leicester City’s signing of Mads Hermanse (£7.5m) and Southampton’s signing of Daniel Peretz (£6m) are the Championship’s record signings of goalkeepers.

Vitek spent 2024/2025 on loan with Austrian club FC Blau-Weiß Linz. He started every league game except three due to injury, and his time playing in Europe was a resounding success.

He subsequently signed for Bristol City last season, where he took his form to another level.

The 22-year-old discussed his dream of breaking into United’s first-team during his stint at Ashton Gate, but Senne Lammens is the first choice at Old Trafford.

After United’s opening pre-season friendly of the summer against Wrexham, Vitek discussed his future with reporters.

“I feel great and ready to go again somewhere to be, hopefully, number one, so we will see. We will see what is going to happen,” Vitek said.

“At the moment, I am still here, but we will see. I hope so. I hope there will be some interest. I think you will know when things are more concrete.”

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Asked if he wanted to leave on loan or was happy to consider a permanent exit from United, Vitek said: “I am ready for both, to be fair. Depends what the club wants and also depends on the options. We will see.

“There have been a few interests on the table. But we hope to get the best one and hopefully it will happen soon.”

Vitek has two years remaining on his contract at United.

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Carlos Alcaraz pulls out of Cincinnati Open still due to wrist injury

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5 August 2026

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Carlos Alcaraz Cincinnati Open wrist injury

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz brings out the Louis Vuitton trophy trunk containing the Fifa World Cup Trophy ahead of the World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. U.S. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP

CINCINNATI — Carlos Alcaraz withdrew Tuesday from the Cincinnati Open because of a lingering right wrist injury that has sidelined him since April.

The No. 2-ranked Spaniard was hoping to return to defend his title in the hard-court tournament, which serves as an important warmup for the US Open.

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“We know Carlos is doing everything he can to get back to playing tournaments as soon as possible,” tournament director Bob Moran said in a statement. “We wish him the best with his recovery and look forward to welcoming him back to Cincinnati in the future.”

READ: Carlos Alcaraz slated to return at Cincinnati Open

Alcaraz last played at the Barcelona Open, then missed the French Open and the entire grass-court season, including Wimbledon.

He is entered in the US Open, where he is the defending champion. Recent photos and videos on social media have shown the seven-time Grand Slam winner on the practice courts, so it was thought he would be ready to play in the Cincinnati event that begins Aug. 11.



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Whitecaps fall to Atlante FC in Leagues Cup opener

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5 August 2026

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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps opened their Leagues Cup campaign with a 1-0 loss to Atlante FC on Tuesday. 

Jhojan Julio scored in the 40th minute to seal his side’s victory in the tournament between Major League Soccer and LIGA MX teams. 

The ‘Caps came into the game as favourites, sitting tied with Los Angeles FC atop the MLS Western Conference standings, but struggled across much of the first half, missing passes and looking uncharacteristically sloppy.

The club improved in the second half but couldn’t get a ball past Atlante keeper Oscar Jimenez, who made a total of four saves.

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The Whitecaps host LIGA MX side FC Juarez on Friday before wrapping the group stage against Tigres UNAL in San Nicolas, Mexico on Aug. 11.

After the group stage, the top four MLS clubs in the tournament will face the top four LIGA MX sides in the quarterfinals, running from Aug. 25 to 27.

Vancouver skipped Leagues Cup last season after reaching the round of 32 in both the 2023 and 2024 iterations.

Goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer kept the Whitecaps in Tuesday’s game despite some testy first-half moments. 

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He came up big in the 24th minute when Luis Puente got past defender Ralph Priso and sprinted up the field. The Atlante forward uncorked a blast from the top of the penalty area, but Boehmer read the play and got his right foot in the ball’s path. 

The 24-year-old Canadian couldn’t repeat the magic in the 40th minute. 

Stationed at the top of the box, Julio bodied Whitecaps defender Mathias Laborda off a ball, collected it at his feet and sent a shot soaring in past Boehmer’s outstretched fingertips. 

The ‘Caps nearly equalized three minutes later when striker Rayan Elloumi fired a right-footed attempt on goal from just above the six-yard box, only to see Jimenez make a diving save.

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The home side dominated 63.5 per cent possession across the first half but were outshot 4-3, with Atlante holding a 3-2 edge in on-target attempts. The visitors took a 1-0 lead into the halftime break. 

Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sorensen made three halftime substitutions in an apparent attempt to spark his group. 

Emmanuel Sabbi — who came on for winger Cheikh Sabaly — provided instant offence and came within inches of levelling the score with left-footed shots that Jimenez turned away in the 47th and 48th minutes. 

Vancouver’s star midfielder Thomas Muller injected some further life into the group in the 64th minute, coming on for J.C. Ngando. 

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Two minutes later, the ‘Caps got a pair of prime chances when Elloumi sent a left-footed shot over the crossbar and, moments later, Laborda’s header went up and over the net. 

The announced crowd of 19,824 booed lustily in the 89th minute when Tate Johnson was cut down inside the penalty area without a call from referee Ekaterina Koroleva. Chants of “ref you suck!” rang out as the Vancouver defender lay on the turf. He got up moments later and resumed play. 

The Whitecaps continued to press with a flurry of stoppage-time attempts, but couldn’t net the equalizer.

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Harsh Dubey, Vipraj Nigam among four net bowlers join India for Sri Lanka Tests | Cricket News

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5 August 2026

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Harsh Dubey, Vipraj Nigam among four net bowlers join India for Sri Lanka Tests
Harsh Dubey and Vipraj Nigam

NEW DELHI: Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Tanush Kotian and Vipraj Nigam have linked up with the Indian team as net bowlers ahead of the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins on August 15. The four players will assist the Shubman Gill-led side during its preparations in Sri Lanka.India have already arrived in the island nation and will play a four-day practice match in Colombo from August 7 before the Test series starts.Before the Test series, India will play a three-day practice match at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo starting on August 7.The opening Test will be played at the Galle International Cricket Stadium from August 15 to 19. The second and final Test will be held at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo from August 23 to 27.India have been hit by a number of injury setbacks ahead of the series.Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out after failing to recover fully from the left knee injury he suffered during the ODI series against England. Auqib Nabi has been named as his replacement.Harshit Rana is sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Nitish Kumar Reddy is recovering from a quadriceps injury.All-rounder Washington Sundar will miss the first Test because of a hamstring problem. Fast bowler Akash Deep also remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from stress reactions in his back.The two-match series is part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.India are currently fifth in the World Test Championship standings with four wins and four defeats from nine matches. The team has a points percentage (PCT) of 48.150.India’s squad Shubman Gill (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Manav Suthar, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Devdutt Padikkal, Saransh Jain and Auqib Nabi.*Sai Sudharsan is subject to fitness clearance.

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Juncheng Shang saves 5 match points, stuns Andrey Rublev in Montreal

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5 August 2026

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Aug 4, 2026; Montreal, QC, Canada; Juncheng Shang (CHN) reacts after winning against Andrey Rublev during second round play at IGA Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn ImagesAug 4, 2026; Montreal, QC, Canada; Juncheng Shang (CHN) reacts after winning against Andrey Rublev during second round play at IGA Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Juncheng Shang of China pulled off a stunning upset, saving five match points to upend No. 10 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the second round of the National Bank Open on Tuesday in Montreal.

Shang, 21, is ranked 281st in the world.

Earning his fifth career Top-20 victory, Shang trailed 5-2 in the decisive third set. Shang saved the five match points on his own serve to pull even at 5-5. After falling behind 6-5, he forced a tiebreaker that was level before he won the final two points.

“Andrey is a great friend, a great competitor and a good champion,” said Shang, who saved 11 of 15 break points and overcame 12 aces by Rublev, who committed 68 unforced errors. “It is a pleasure to share the court with him since the last time we played in Hong Kong. But more happily, I’m healthy. I’m definitely playing my best tennis and just happy to be in Montreal.”

In the third round, Shang will face No. 19 seed Luciano Darderi of Italy, who advanced when Montreal native Gabriel Diallo retired from their second-round matchup while trailing 6-4, 2-3. Diallo sustained an apparent leg injury.

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Canadian Denis Shapovalov also retired from his Tuesday match, stopping in the third set of his opening-round contest against Zachary Svajda.

Shapovalov was coming off a run to the final at an ATP 250 event last week in Los Cabos, Mexico, but he revealed Tuesday that he picked up an ankle injury in that match.

He trailed Svajda 6-4, 4-6, 0-3 when he ended the contest.

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The former World No. 10, who has won four titles on tour but none this year, went on to express his frustration with injuries in what he described as “an annoying year.”

Svajda, who overcame 38 unforced errors as well as Shapovalov’s 6-of-9 mark in saving break points, will face No. 18 seed Arthur Fils of France in the second round.

In other second-round action, third-seeded Alex de Minaur eliminated Australian countryman James Duckworth 6-2, 7-6 (6); eighth-seeded Jiri Lehecka prevailed 6-4, 6-2 over Vit Kopriva in an all-Czech affair; 15th-seeded Frances Tiafoe overtook Croatia’s Marin Cilic 5-7, 6-2, 6-2; and 28th-seeded Brandon Nakashima cruised past Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-2, 6-1.

The majority of the first-round matches earlier in the day went the full three sets, and they weren’t going the Canadians’ way. Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante beat Canadian qualifier Duncan Chan 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (3), and Spaniard Daniel Merida rallied past Canadian wild card Liam Draxl 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

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Frenchman Terence Atmane saved 7 of 9 break points and hit nine aces in battling past British wild card Jack Draper 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz knocked out Marcos Giron 7-5, 4-6, 6-2.

Other first-round winners included Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, Argentina’s Sebastian Baez and Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Jenson Brooksby, France’s Valentin Royer, Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan, British qualifier Jacob Fearnley, Australian qualifier Alexei Popyrin and Greek qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas.

In addition, Belgian 27th seed Alexander Blockx advanced to the third round via walkover against Spain’s Jaume Munar.

The final match of the night featured sixth-seeded Italian Flavio Cobolli and Germany’s Yannick Hanfmann.

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–Field Level Media

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LIV players discussed their future for 90 minutes. But declined to talk about it

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5 August 2026

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BEDMINSTER, N.J. — It’s fitting that the setting for LIV’s latest players’ meeting was at President Trump’s club here in New Jersey’s rolling horse country, because the convene had all the secrecy of a sealed-door session in the White House Situation Room. 

Just before 2 p.m. local time, Bryson DeChambeau, the league’s runaway Most Valuable Player (at least in terms of clicks and impressions) and de facto tribal leader, strolled off the 9th green after a practice round with Bubba Watson and politely declined a reporter’s interview request, citing another imminent engagement.  

“Big meeting” DeChambeau said.

The gathering — the first part of it, anyway — was scheduled for 2 o’clock in the clubhouse, with most of LIV’s 14 team captains set to discuss one of the professional game’s most pressing questions: Will LIV Golf survive and, if so, how? Those aren’t new questions, of course. The league’s uncertain future has been a source of speculation since its Saudi backers, the Public Investment Fund, announced in late April that they would cease funding the league after the conclusion of the 2026 season. 

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But the matter has taken on more urgency in recent days with several news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, reporting that the league is on the verge of canceling its season-ending, $40-million team championship, slated for Aug. 27-30 in Michigan. “We’ve been told to prepare as though it’s going ahead,” Ripper GC captain Cameron Smith said in a press conference Tuesday morning. “So we’re expecting it to happen. I’m really unsure, but we had a great year there last year in Detroit, and we’re hoping we get back there.”

LIV Golf has made no public comments on the reported nix, nor has its CEO, Scott O’Neil, who has spent nearly all of his waking hours in the last three months seeking a lifeline for his league — and there are signs that he may have found at least a flicker of hope. According to the New York Post, LIV has commitments from a team of anchor investors that would form a “financing syndicate” with enough cash to support a reimagined version of LIV. The league has not commented on the Post report, nor would you expect it to given it’s in the throes of negotiations. 

The captains-only meeting at Bedminster lasted about 40 minutes. When it wrapped, the skippers, accompanied by O’Neil, filed out of the clubhouse and made the short walk to a smaller brick-and-glass building that houses the locker room. That’s where most of LIV’s other players were awaiting them, presumably aching for any new information about the status of their league. About 15 minutes after this second meeting began, O’Neil stepped out. He appeared at the building’s second-floor exit and descended a flight of stairs where a cluster of reporters had gathered, eager to pepper him with questions. O’Neil, a LIV media-relations staffer close by his side, declined to oblige them. Any color from the meeting would need to come from the players.

As the minutes ticked by, the intrigue outside grew, as if a papal conclave was in session. Caddies killed time rolling putts on the practice green; LIV general managers sought shade under trees; and a fleet of black Suburbans lined the parking lot, ready to shuttle the players to their Marriott.  

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Finally, around 3:45 p.m., a couple of familiar faces appeared at the top of the staircase. Then a couple more. And a couple more. Most, though, had little interest in talking. Joaquin Niemann and Lee Westwood both said they needed to practice; Lucas Herbert was a pass, though he did crack a light-hearted joke about the prospect of starting his own tour; Anthony Kim also was tight-lipped, as were Graeme McDowell, Thomas Pieters and Bubba Watson. Bryson, too. Paul Casey stopped to chat but not about the meeting — more so to share tales from the 1999 Walker Cup, where he and Luke Donald helped Great Britain and Ireland to victory.

And so it went, though not entirely. 

Richard Bland, one of LIV’s elder statesmen at 53, spilled some tea, if only a leaf or two. Blandy said that DeChambeau effectively chaired the meeting and “ran through what he knows.” Bland continued: “Obviously, we’re trying to do it as a group, but we’re individuals as well. We’re in this together; we’re fully backing Scott. I think probably in the next two to three weeks, we’ll have a bigger picture.”

He added, “We’re just in that kind of stage at the minute that we’re positive with what’s going on, but we just need everything to be fully signed off so you can go forward.”

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Bland said he had no new information about the status of the team event, saying, “We’ve just got to wait and see on that.”

Abraham Ancer, who plays for Torque GC, also described the meeting as “positive,” telling GOLF.com that the players spent the time “going through the business plan and all that for next year. Other than that, I can’t really say anything.”

Asked whether he felt like LIV leadership has been providing the players with enough information, he said, “I think they’re giving us as much as they can.” He also said that he has no concerns about the league not honoring his contact. “I can only speak for myself,” he said, “but everything has been okay with me. I have nothing really bad to say.” 

The always-colorful Byeong Hun An described the meeting to reporters as “fun,” adding, “No one’s throwing fists or anything.” He added, “I can’t really discuss anything here, but it was good.” 

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Read into those collective comments what you will. Something sounds like it could be brewing. But also . . . who’s to say? If we’ve learned anything about LIV, its most predictable element has been its unpredictability. O’Neil is scheduled to address the media at 10 a.m. Wednesday. We’ll learn more then. It’s just hard to know how much more.  

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Super Falcons Face Egypt in Must-Win WAFCON Clash for Quarter-Final Ticket

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The Super Falcons of Nigeria will face Egypt on Wednesday with their place in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations at stake.

The defending champions started their campaign with a shock defeat to debutants Malawi but bounced back strongly with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Zambia in their second Group C match.

That victory put Nigeria back in contention for a place in the last eight, but they must avoid a slip against Egypt, who have already suffered heavy defeats in the group.

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Egypt lost 6-0 to Zambia in their opening game before falling 3-1 to Malawi. However, the Super Falcons are expected to approach the game with caution and will not take their opponents lightly.

Coach Justin Madugu will have to make changes to his team after defender Tosin Demehin and midfielder Jennifer Echegini were ruled out through suspension.

Demehin was sent off against Zambia after stopping Barbra Banda, who was through on goal, while Echegini picked up two yellow cards in Nigeria’s first two matches.

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Christy Ucheibe, who moved into central defence after Demehin’s red card against Zambia, could start alongside Osinachi Ohale.

In midfield, Toni Payne could join captain Rasheedat Ajibade, with Halimatu Ayinde also in contention for a starting role.

Up front, Asisat Oshoala is expected to keep her place after scoring the winning goal against Zambia. Uchenna Kanu could also start after making an impact in Nigeria’s opening match against Malawi.

The Super Falcons know there is little room for error as they look to secure their quarter-final place, keep their title defence alive and move closer to their target of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

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Nigeria will be hoping to produce another strong performance against Egypt and continue their journey towards retaining the WAFCON title.

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Tarik Skubal takes loss in Dodgers debut as Los Angeles' season-long losing streak continues

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5 August 2026

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Skubal had a solid first outing in a Dodgers uniform but didn’t get much run support from his new teammates

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Who is George Lombard Jr.’s brother? Meet Jacob, a shortstop in the Marlins organization who stole the show on his brother’s Yankees debut

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Born in Miami, George Lombard Jr. developed a passion for baseball from an early age. He was drafted by the Yankees in 2026, and he quickly earned a reputation as one of the organization’s top prospects.

He made his much-anticpated MLB debut on Tuesday, hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to make himself an instant favorite in the Bronx.

George Lombard Jr. in action for the New York Yankees - Source: GettyGeorge Lombard Jr. in action for the New York Yankees - Source: Getty
George Lombard Jr. in action for the New York Yankees – Source: Getty

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Though fans following the Yankees’ top prospects will know a lot about Lombard Jr., a lesser known fact about him is that he also has a younger brother, Jacob, who is currently in the Miami Marlins organization.

Growing up, Jacob Lombard was a multi-sport athlete, showing talent for soccer, baseball, football and gymastics. He claims his favorite sport was soccer, but he began to gravitate more towards baseball after watching his older brother excel at it.

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Just like George, Jacob also attended the Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest, Florida. In his sophomore year, he was second-team Class 5A-2A All-Dade, boasting a .328 batting average. As a junior, he batted .306 with four home runs.

Jacob Lombard’s fine performances at the high school level even earned him a call up to the United States under-18 baseball team, and he played in the 2025 U-18 Baseball World Cup, helping his nation win the championship.

Born in 2007, Jacob is also a shorstop, and he was drafted by the Marlins in 2026. He currently plays for the Single-A Jupiter Hammerheads.

Coincidentally, Jacob Lombard also enjoyed a dream debut on Tuesday. Playing his first game at Single-A level, he hit a home run, just like his older brother did in the Pinstripes.

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It appears both Jacob and George have taken after their father, George Lombard Sr., who spent six seasons in the major leagues, representing the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Washington Nationals. Now, he is a bench coach for the Tigers.

“I don’t think it will really settle in for a couple days ” – George Lombard Jr. talks about being called up to the Yankees’ major league roster

Speaking to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and Jared Greenspan on Tuesday, George Lombard Jr. explained his feelings after being called up the Yankees‘ major league roster.

“I don’t think it will really settle in for a couple days,” George Lombard Jr. said. “Being around it gives you that level of comfort, like, OK, you know what some stuff will be like. But being in it and actually doing it is different. It becomes real for the first time.

“It’s a hard game. You’re going to struggle. There will be ups and downs. Who knows what the future’s going to look like.The biggest thing is taking everything day by day, being the same person. Being the same teammate. Play the same way. Play to win. Play hard every single day. Play with my hair on fire.”

George Lombard Jr. in action during a New York Yankees workout - Source: GettyGeorge Lombard Jr. in action during a New York Yankees workout - Source: Getty
George Lombard Jr. in action during a New York Yankees workout – Source: Getty

After a dream debut, Yankees fans will hope to see Lombard continue impressing at the top level.