The New York Yankees missed generational star Juan Soto in the three-game series against LA Dodgers badly as the coveted pitching staff prevailed over Yanks in-form hitting lineup. Without Soto, the team couldn’t get the necessary momentum at the top as they dropped the series, that too at home.
That being said, before heading out for a road trip, the New York Yankees regained the winning momentum by winning the series finale against the Dodgers. With the Kansas City Royals next in line, suspense over Juan Soto’s availability still prevails, and manager Aaron Boone is hinting at an ambitious, imminent return timeline.
Juan Soto To Return On Monday Vs Royals?
The New York Yankees core strength, Juan Soto, has missed three games in a row for the first time since he landed in New York following a blockbuster trade from San Diego Padres. Soto tackled change of scenery adversities keenly and lived up to his tag of being a generational talent. However, with the 162-game series grind racing to its halfway stage, Soto overused his forearm. Last week, the 25-year-old was removed from the game mid-way with forearm discomfort. Amid fears of a long injury layoff, Soto confirmed that scans were positive and that he would not need an IL stint. Minimal inflammation was reported in his forearm, which was treatable with proper medications. Still, the Bombers rested him from the Dodgers series as a precaution.
That being said, Juan Soto has repeatedly said that he is fine with resuming playing anytime. Moreover, with the Kansas City Royals series coming up, Yankees manager Aaron Boone hoped that Soto would be available to play the series opener on Monday. While nothing has been confirmed, Soto said he will undergo an evaluation after the team lands in Kansas. “I took some hacks before the game and felt good. I did all my work, and it was good enough,” Soto said. Notably, Soto had been dealing with this discomfort for two weeks before he was removed last week. He still would have been able to play regularly. But the Yankees simply do no wish to risk their hot hitter whilst having a 46-21 record in AL-East. Additionally, the Yanks hitting lineup is deep and survived without Soto. Hence, the team does not need to panic and avoid risking Soto at this stage.
Soto Blushes As Yankee Crowd Goes Wild In His Absence
While Juan Soto was cheering for his team from the dugout as he healed from the forearm inflammation, the home fans in Yankee Stadium showered him with all the love despite him not being in the starting lineup. During the series finale against the Dodgers, the crowd chanted ‘We Want Soto’ as Trent Grisham took his at-bat.
Upon hearing the loud chants of his name, Juan Soto blushed and couldn’t stop smiling. Indeed, the love of the fans for Soto has been profound since the generational star set foot in the Bronx earlier this year. They are leaving no stone unturned in convincing Soto to reconsider his free agency decision and stay in New York long-term.
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