Superstar slugger and outfielder, Juan Soto was scratched off the New York Yankees lineup against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday as he sustained a bruise on his thumb while making a sliding play on Friday. He went through imaging scans immediately which came back negative.
However, the New York Yankees took the high road and rested him on Saturday. In a dramatic turnaround, the Yanks scratched him off the lineup again on Sunday as a precautionary measure. However, minutes before the first pitch, Juan Soto was back in the lineup, and he immediately made an impact on the team’s 8-1 win to split the four-game series.
Juan Soto Included In Sunday’s Lineup 10 Minutes Before First Pitch
The New York Yankees released its lineup on Sunday a little later than usual due to uncertainty over superstar Juan Soto’s fitness status. The outfielder sustained bruises on his thumb on Saturday, and despite his imaging scans coming back negative, skipper Aaron Boone was cautious about moving forward. In the initial lineup released, Boone scratched Soto from the lineup before the slugger walked into his office to confirm that his cage session went well and that he had the trainer’s approval. Boone eventually changed his mind, and just 10-15 minutes before the first pitch, Juan Soto was added to the lineup. “We scrambled, and obviously, he played a big part in getting us going there,” Boone said.
Turns out, Juan Soto made an instant impact on the game. He went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and drove a line single in his first at-bat before scoring on Aaron Judge‘s home run. While Soto didn’t face any discomfort while hitting, catching at right field wasn’t as smooth. Soto went on to reveal in a post-game interview that he has some level of swelling of his injured thumb. He will undergo additional MRI and CT scans upon touchdown in New York and is expected to play against the Reds. That being said, the generational star added that coming into Sunday, he felt good while warming up and was positive that he could help the team with the four-game series on the lineup. “I know I have a pretty good chance out there to try to win a ballgame today, so I went for it,” argued Soto.
What Made Aaron Boone Change His Mind?
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone shared his orderly of what went on behind the scenes when Juan Soto barged into his office to reaffirm his fitness status. Boone said he told Soto not to compromise on his swing by any means since he knew the slugger was feeling better following the early morning cage session.
However, when the skipper spoke to the coaches and trainers, he was certain that Juan Soto can go in and play his part just fine. Meanwhile, Yankees captain Aaron Judge also revealed that Soto’ swings sounded loud and good during his cage session and he instantly knew that the slugger would participate into the series finale.
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