Yankees get Juan Soto back, give Aaron Judge day off vs. Royals
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Follow UsThe New York Yankees confirmed that Juan Soto returned to action on Monday, rejoining the lineup in Kansas City after missing three games due to left forearm inflammation. This announcement was made by Aaron Boone an hour prior and was later confirmed by the team.
What happened to Juan Soto?
Juan Soto’s absence effectively began four games ago when he exited the Yankees’ victory over the Twins following a 56-minute rain delay. He had been experiencing discomfort in his forearm for about a week and a half, and the Yankees decided to be cautious after he struggled to loosen up after the delay. On Friday, Soto underwent imaging that revealed forearm inflammation but ruled out any potential elbow concerns. Manager Aaron Boone stated that Soto would receive treatment and medication for the injury, but no injections.
On Monday, Juan Soto was batting second and serving as the designated hitter against the Royals. Although Boone had previously mentioned that Soto would be able to play in the field once he returned, he preferred to ease him back into action for the series opener. “The answers we got back from the testing, we’re not worried about him doing anything that he’s gotta do baseball-wise,” Boone said on Sunday. “It’s just based on how he’s doing, how he’s feeling. He should be good to go.”
Juan Soto is known for his durability, having played all 162 games with the Padres last year. The 25-year-old impending free agent has been outstanding in his first season with the Yankees, hitting .318/.424/.603 with 17 home runs and 53 RBIs before Monday.
Aaron Judge takes first day off in 2024
While Juan Soto returned to the lineup, Aaron Judge was out for the first time all year. The American League Player of the Week received his first day off after playing in the Yankees’ first 67 games. Judge has also been exceptional, slashing .305/.436/.703 with a league-leading 24 homers and adding 59 RBIs.
Following the first game against the Royals, Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed that the team expects Aaron Judge to return to the lineup tomorrow. Meanwhile, Juan Soto reported postgame that he experienced another good day of progress, noting significant improvement and an absence of forearm discomfort when throwing and swinging.
With Aaron Judge out and Juan Soto designated hitting, Jahmai Jones started in right field, while Trent Grisham handled center field after hitting a game-winning homer in Sunday’s win over the Dodgers. Anthony Rizzo was also absent from Monday’s lineup. Boone benched the struggling first baseman for the series finale against the Dodgers and considered giving Rizzo another day off on Monday. DJ LeMahieu took over at first base for the second consecutive game.
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