Slugger Soto-fies Yankees with warrior grit: ‘I didn’t think about any day off’
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Follow UsThe New York Yankees witnessed Juan Soto‘s boundless energy that defied all concerns on Friday and proved why he is worth $500 million in MLB this offseason.
The Yankees slugger showcased his determination following a sliding catch on Thursday that left him sidelined from the starting lineup on Friday. Although Juan Soto dealt with swelling and soreness in his left knee after colliding with the wall at T-Mobile Park, his condition improved enough for him to step up as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning.
In a critical moment in the Yankees’ 4-2 victory over the Athletics, Juan Soto came through, hitting an opposite-field RBI double that provided the winning run at the Oakland Coliseum. It started a spontaneous frenzied celebration in the team’s dugout.
After the game, Juan Soto brushed aside all injury concerns and underscored the team’s focus on winning the division, despite having already secured a playoff spot. The Yankees star expressed his commitment to the team’s objectives, balancing his desire to contribute with the need to make prudent decisions as October approaches.
“I know we clinched [a playoff spot], but at the end of the day, the goal is to win the division,” the slugger said with resolve. “We are really close [to] that. I didn’t think about any day off or anything like that, but we’re trying to be smart too and think about October.”
Juan Soto’s grit on full display for Yankees
Before the game, Juan Soto underwent a thorough evaluation of his knee, which included hitting in the batting cage and performing squats in the gym. He reported that his knee responded well, showing no soreness after the workout, boosting his confidence for a potential pinch-hitting role.
While X-rays on Juan Soto’s knee came back negative, the persistent swelling led the Yankees to be cautious, keeping him on the bench initially after pregame treatment and exercises.
As the game unfolded, Juan Soto approached manager Aaron Boone to indicate he was ready to pinch-hit if necessary. Boone explained that he wouldn’t have used the slugger had there only been a runner on second in the 10th, anticipating an intentional walk. However, once the Yankees had runners on the corners, he decided to utilize Juan Soto for the crucial at-bat.
Juan Soto showed improved mobility while running to second base, though he acknowledged some lingering soreness, which was less severe than earlier in the day. The slugger noted that his availability for the next game would depend on how he felt in the morning.
“We tried the knee early before the game,” he said. “We went to the cage, hit a little bit. We tried out the gym, too, we did some squats and stuff. It reacted pretty well. So throughout the game I was feeling good, it wasn’t sore or anything after all the work we put in. That’s when I knew I had a good chance to be an option.”
As the regular season nears its end, the Yankees are in a crucial stretch, striving to clinch the AL East title and build momentum for the postseason. In this context, any extended absence of Juan Soto would pose a significant challenge for the team.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed minimal long-term concerns regarding Juan Soto’s condition, citing input from the team’s director of sports medicine and rehab, Mike Schuk, who characterized the situation as day-to-day rather than a lasting issue.
In hindsight, the Yankees might have preferred that the ball had gone foul during the play where Juan Soto was injured, especially given their 3-2 deficit to the Mariners in the seventh inning. Such a scenario would have spared Soto from potential injury at this critical juncture in the season. However, Boone acknowledged the difficulty in tempering Juan Soto’s instinctive play, particularly with free agency looming in less than two months.
Boone also remarked that Juan Soto’s sliding technique into the wall may have mitigated the risk of a more serious injury. The Yankees skipper emphasized that players often exhibit good judgment in protecting themselves during play, and in this case, his approach likely prevented a worse outcome, despite resulting in a bruise and a missed game.
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