A day after leaving a game early due to a possible injury, New York Yankees star Juan Soto was left out of the starting lineup for the Yankees’ blockbuster matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he will likely return soon.
The 25-year-old outfielder was at Yankee Stadium on Friday and his arrival was captured on the YES Network. According to Yankees manager Aaron Boone, Soto could even be available Friday night.
Soto left the Yankees’ game early Thursday against the Minnesota Twins with the Yankees citing left forearm soreness. Boone confirmed Friday that tests showed Soto was suffering from inflammation and not a more serious injury.
“Overall, we got some good news,” Boone told reporters.
Boone also told reporters before the game that he expects Soto will not go to the IL and that the slugger may be available for other games in the Dodgers series even if he doesn’t play Friday.
Boone said he expects Juan Soto to avoid the IL. He could be available during the Dodgers series, possibly even tonight.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) June 7, 2024
After Thursday’s game, Boone said Soto had been dealing with the discomfort in his left forearm for about a week and that the pain Thursday was not caused by anything specific. Soto underwent additional tests on Friday to determine the severity of the injury.
Soto is one of the Yankees’ top hitters, with a .318 batting average and an OPS of 1.027. The Yankees acquired him in a blockbuster seven-player trade with the San Diego Padres in December. The Dominican outfielder was a huge boost for the Yankees, with 17 home runs, 49 runs and 53 RBI.
After a few seasons of stumbling below expectations, the Yankees currently have the best record in baseball at 45-19, led by the trio of Soto, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The team could miss Soto’s power at bat against the Dodgers, who have their own team of superstars led by Shohei Ohtani.
