OAKLAND, Calif. — New York Yankees star right fielder Juan Soto was scratched from the lineup a day after hurting his left leg sliding into a wall to make a catch.
Soto was originally in the lineup for Friday night’s series opener against the Oakland Athletics but was pulled out after reporting soreness and swelling in the leg. Manager Aaron Boone said X-rays were negative and Soto will not need additional testing.
Soto hurt the leg Thursday in Seattle when he slid into the short wall in foul territory down the right-field line while making a highlight-reel catch. He remained in the game.
Boone said Soto is day-to-day. The manager noted that he wasn’t “overly concerned” that the injury will linger into the postseason. The Yankees clinched a playoff berth Wednesday night and went into Friday holding a four-game lead in the AL East over Baltimore with nine games to play.
“Guys do a good job of knowing how to protect themselves and playing smart in certain situations,” Boone said. “I think him getting down the way he did protected him a little bit. Obviously, he bruised it and he’s out today. But I think the way he did it avoided something serious.”
Soto is batting .286 with 40 homers and 103 RBIs in his first season with the Yankees. He entered the day second in the majors with 125 walks, 284 times on base and a .418 on-base percentage, trailing only teammate Aaron Judge in all three categories. Soto is third in the majors with 120 runs scored.
Soto missed three games in June with left forearm inflammation.
